Beyond the Summoner
by Mobius Man
Summary: Beyond her past, beyond sphere hunting, this is the ongoing life of Yuna and her friends, be it love, adventure, or tragedy. YunaxTidus, RikkuxGippal and more reviews needed! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1 – Fly to Kilika

**Chapter 1 - Fly to Kilika**

_This is my first jab at a fanfic in quite a long time, over 2 years to be exact. I gotta get my creative juices flowing again (lol!). Anyway, I loved Final Fantasy X, and have recently picked up Final Fantasy X-2 (which I also love). Since the characters and story is so compelling, I've decided to make a fanfic about it. First, let me get this out of the way..._

_**Disclaimer: **Final Fantasy series is owned and copyrighted by Square-Enix._

_That's better. So, let me lay a little story premise on you. My fic is set within the Final Fantasy X-2 storyline. It has no real exact place, and will include most of the character seen in it. I myself am in the middle of X-2, so new twists will parallel where I'm at in the game. If you haven't played either X or X-2, you really should if you want to understand the story. This is especially true for X, as I'm not throwing in any back story for it._

_Anywho,Yuna, Rikku, and Paine are still sphere hunters. Yuna is still searching for Tidus, wherever he may be. There is much conflict between New Yevon and the Youth League. Lulu is still expecting. Leblanc and her gang are as obnoxious as always. And we'll leave it at that._

**Note (3/23/05): **I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

Yuna awakened from sleep, and was greeted by the sky's morning sunlight casting through the windows. She rubbed her eyes, and yawned a big morning yawn. The first conscious though in her mind was that of her lost love, Tidus. It always was her first though – no morning withstanding. Lying there, alone without him, always played an uncomfortable though in her mind.

However, she knew she must arise. She sighed a gentle sigh and sat up, turning around to glance out the window. A few birds were flying alongside the Celsius. Their silhouettes gracefully crossed in front of the rising sun. A beautiful image such as this made Yuna smile. Sometimes it was what got her through the day.

She proceeded to get out of bed fully, and change from her nightgown. She walked down the stairs of the cabin, and was cheerfully greeted by Bartender, the funny blue Hypello that lived on the ship with her.

"Good morning Mish Yoona. How are yoo tooday?" Barkeep greeted, standing behind the counter while washing a glass.

"Oh...not too bad I guess. It is a pretty sunrise though." she replied, while taking seat in a barstool.

"What would yoo like too drink?" he asked.

"Hmm, give me some juice I suppose."

Yuna rested her head on her hand, and watched blankly as Barkeep poured a red juice in a tall crystalline glass. She returned to her thoughts. However, now she was more focused on the present. Yesterday, Shinra had discovered sphere signals emanating from a remote island off of Kilika Port. Perhaps it might present another clue as to where Tidus was. Still, she knew not to get her hopes up, as she's been led down this path many times before. Maybe it would shed some light onto the mystery behind the "Crimson Report" spheres they had been finding.

Barkeep plopped the glass he was filling in front of Yuna, half startling her out of her daze. She stared at her tinted reflection in the juice.

"Are yoo feeling oo-kay Mish Yoona?" Barkeep asked, noticing her lackluster mood.

"Oh, yeah I'm alright. I think a lot in this mornings, you know..."

He chuckled, "My mother yoosed used too say that if a flower does not shine in the morning sun, it will wilt before it should."

Yuna laughed a somber laugh at Barkeep's peculiar but well-meaning verse. Finally picking up her glass, she drank some of the red juice. Its sweet taste aided in brightening up her mood.

"Let me ask you something..." she paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts, "during the time Sin was alive...how should I put this...how did you live?"

Barkeep glanced at her in puzzlement, "What do you mean Yoona?"

She sighed, and thought for a moment again, tapping her finger on the counter.

Again she spoke, "What I mean is...even with Spira in such peril, and your own life in constant danger...did you really want to continue living?"

"Of course," he smiled, "even though I was afraid a lot, I told myself good days would come too me. The world is a shpooky place. But if yoo have hope, yoo can get passed yoor your fears."

"Did you loose anyone close to you because of Sin?" Yuna continued.

Barkeep's mood dampened at the sound of her question. He paused wiping out the mug he was working on, and placed it on the counter.

"Yes I did Yoona, my beootiful beautiful wife Moonta. I lost her too Sin's wrath, I did." he said with somber expression.

"Oh...I-I'm terribly sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

"It's oo-kay Yoona. It was terribly painful when she died, but the tale of the summoners gave me hope. It was yoor your story that helped me go on."

Shocked, Yuna just sat there, looking at Barkeep in awe. Perhaps she has been too selfish, she though to herself. So many people had depended on her, both then and now, to help them through their despairs. Guilt of turning her back on the peoples of Spira, at least in her mind, raged throughout her head. It had been swirling now for a while. In the beginning, this path seemed perfect. It would be time for her to do something important for her own life. But now, she's accomplished nothing of any value. She believed if she would have stayed put, she could have prevented the feud between New Yevon and the Youth League. The Gullwings seemed like an act on cowardly lust.

An intercom signal beeped, and Brother's voice rambled out from the speakers.

"We are approaching Kilika Port. Better get to the bridge Yuna!"

"Ok Brother, I'm on my way!" she replied, and got up from her barstool.

"Thanks for talking with me...I gotta go."

"No problem, Miss Yoona. Please talk with me any time." he smiled, and went back to washing out the mug.

Yuna walked down the corridor, and entered the lift. It's been a while since they've been to Kilika. At first, the feud between New Yevon and the Youth League was throwing the town into dismay. Once the Gullwings dispatched the all the fiends that poured out from the temples, things had been calming down.

She thought back to the first time she and Tidus entered Kilika. Most of it had been destroyed by Sin, and the people were desperate. It was also the place where she got Ifrit, her second aeon. Now, Kilika was a thriving town, full of people.

The doors of the lift opened, and Yuna proceeded to the bridge. Rikku and Paine were both standing next to Shinra, who was explaining something to them. Brother and Buddy were getting ready to land the Celsius.

"Hey Yunie, it's about time you got up here!" the always charming Rikku laughed.

"Sorry. So, what's up Shinra?"

Shinra began typing fiercely on his console. He brought up a map of Kilika Port and the surrounding area. His finger pointed to a blinking red dot on the screen.

"This is where we'll be going. A small island about five clicks (2.699 nautical miles) northeast of Kilika. Somewhere on this island is where I'm picking up these mysterious sphere readings." he explained.

"Wonder what this sphere contains?" Paine questioned, hoping it would be of some use.

"Maybe we'll find a map of buried treasure!" Rikku blurted out.

"Uhh...sure we will Rikku..." Paine said sarcastically while rolling her eyes.

"Aw, c'mon. It's possible. Don't you want it to be something really neat?"

Yuna laughed at the two, and especially Rikku. She's always a ball of laughs, noting in her mind that she's jealous of her constant "chipperness." At any rate, she hoped as much as Paine that they find a sphere actually worth finding.

"What's on this island, Shinra?" Paine asked.

"Hmm..." Shinra went back to typing on his console, "there are a few fiends, nothing too dangerous. Besides that, a couple old stone buildings – ruins perhaps."

"Hey, I wonder if those ruins hold any secrets?" Yuna thought out loud.

"I doubt it, " Shinra replied dully, "but then again, no one has investigated them. I suppose it's worth a shot to see them as well."

"Yeah! That's the spirit!" bellowed Rikku in excitement.

"You better hope we don't run into trouble." Paine interjected, souring Rikku's enthusiasm.

"Bah...we can handle a few lousy fiends. How 'bout in Yunie?" Rikku rebutted, nudging Yuna in the ribs.

"Are you sure? All we need is to get into more trouble." Buddy proceeded to ask from across the bridge.

"Ahh...don't be a worry wort. I mean, how much trouble could be on a small island like that?" Rikku smugly answered.

"Well, why not. Although I usually don't agree with Rikku, I'm with her on this one." somberly agreed Paine, although against her better judgment.

"Yeah, that's...hey!" Rikku yelled, sticking her tongue out at Paine.

Two beeps came from Brother's console, "Hold tight Gullwings, we are gonna land soon."

"We'll land in Kilika, and use a boat to go to the island, " Buddy explained, "so be back by dusk. We'll have accommodations set up by then."

Yuna nodded, "Don't worry, we'll be fine."

"Yeah! Let's get going girls – it's time for the Gullwings to swing into action!" Rikku shouted, launching her hand into the air in a sign of battle.

Paine shook her head in disappointment and Yuna laughed. It was time for the Gullwings to go sphere hunting!

* * *

_**Next chapter:** The gang row out to this little island hoping for big adventure, and big adventure is what they find! The Gullwings soon find that the mysterious ruins of the island are a lot more interesting than the sphere it has. But is this mystery something they are ready to handle?_


	2. Chapter 2 – Surrounded by Secrets

**Chapter 2 – Surrounded by Secrets**

**Note (3/23/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

The Gullwings made their way down the plank and off the Celsius. Kilika's docks were vibrant with business. Workers were unloading boxes of building supplies for the new Youth League base. Others were loading crates of goods bound for various parts of Spira. Beyond the docks, the three enjoyed the sight of children playing amongst the homes along the river.

"So how long is it going to take us to get to this here island?" Rikku inquired.

"Don't be antsy Rikku! It'll take you a few minutes to row there by boat, right Buddy." Brother contrived.

"Uh, well, it might take a lot longer if they row." Shinra corrected, shaking his head.

"Oh...well you better get going and..."

"How about this – we'll rent an air boat they have over there. That should make the trip fairly short." Buddy interjected.

Paine nodded in agreement, "I'm not rowing all the way to that island."

Brother snorted and began to sulk away, "Alright, alright. I'll go find us a lodge to stay for the night. You'll suck us dry of gil..."

"Hey, I got a question," Buddy put his hand on his hips, his voice turning stern, "why are we paying for a room when the Celsius is right here?"

"Because, " Yuna calmly explained, "it's more fun."

"Yeah! Who wants to be couped up on the Celsius when we can stay in a cool room here in Kilika." Rikku added.

"Oh give it up. You lost this argument the first time. What makes you think you can win it now?" Paine smugly said, poking fun at Buddy.

"Yeah, Yeah...but remember I'm not made out of gil." he grumbled.

Buddy led the three over to a air boat salesman, and rented an air boat for the day. Something like "I'm not a gillionaire" was heard muttering his lips in Al Bhed. Rikku immediately hopped on the boat and gave it a rev. Then Buddy was heard yelling something to the effect of "that's not insured" in Al Bhed while jumping up and down. The three laughed and waved goodbye to Buddy, who was sulking away in Brother-like fashion.

"Poor Buddy, we'll gonna drive him to drink." Rikku giggled.

Yuna complied with a chuckle of her own, "Ok guys, it's time to focus on our mission."

"That's the first serious thing I've heard all morning." Paine replied mutedly.

"So, what kind of cool things do you think are on this island?" Rikku asked while doing a little Rikku strut.

"I don't know. No one has really explored this island. We're probably the first people to come here in decades." Yuna answered.

"Great, just what I love – surprises." grumbled Paine, sighing to some higher power.

The air boat roared across the waves, leaving a bright trail of white film behind them. A strong wind whipped across their faces. Yuna enjoyed herself, it was a stigmatic reminder that she was still alive. She inhaled the cool wind into her lungs, and exhaled with tranquility. She pushed aside the hair in her eyes, and watched as seagulls flew away into the distance.

After about twenty minutes or so, the Gullwings reached the beachhead of the mystery island. The sand reached for a few yards, then blurred into grass and trees. There wasn't any paths or roads – civilization hadn't been here for ages. Paine, coming well-prepared, got out her large machete. Cutting the tall grass in their way, they wandered into the forest.

"Hey, did Shinra tell us _where_ the sphere signal was coming from." Rikku asked in puzzlement.

Paine and Yuna looked at each other and shrugged. Then they both let out a burly grunt of frustration. It appeared as he forgot a valuable piece of information.

"Great, so where are we supposed to look. I don't want to saunter aimlessly around all day." Paine bellyached, and got out her Commsphere.

Unfortunately for her, all she received was the sound of her own voice. She mumbled something foul and put away the Commsphere.

"Ugh, I guess they aren't back yet." she concluded angrily.

"It's ok Paine. Let's see if we can find it first ourselves, then we'll give Brother a call." Yuna said, putting her hand on Paine's shoulder.

Paine sighed and went along with Yuna, who led the three around the island. For a while, they came upon nothing exciting. There was a lot of thick brush, with tall green stalks protruding out of the ground. So much plant life there was, it made Rikku sneeze herself senseless. Yuna and Paine laughed at their friend's sniffing and snorting.

"Hey! Don't make fun of an Al Bhed's sensitive nose!" she yelled in her defense.

"You always have to make a lot of noise...one way or another." Paine poked, patting Rikku on the head.

Rikku pouted, and blew her nose once again, and threw the handkerchief in Paine's direction. Paine swayed her head, barely dodging Rikku's lovely booger-green snot rag. Paine grabbed for her machete and began chasing Rikku around some trees.

"Hey, I'm sorry Paine! I was just kidding around." Rikku pleaded.

"Yeah well, I'm not. I'm gonna cut you down like a weed!"

"Hey!"

Rikku ran behind Yuna, using her as a human shield. Yuna winked at Paine, and she smiled a devious smile. In one swift motion, Yuna pranced behind Rikku and held her by the arms.

"Come get her Paine! You know the spot!" she yelled in a laugh.

Paine grinned evilly, and put away here big knife. With fire in her eyes and hands, she began tickling Rikku's stomach mercilessly. Rikku began laughing hysterically. Luckily the island was uninhabited, as her convulsions could be heard from miles away. By the time Paine was finished, Rikku was gasping for breath, green snot pouring down her nose. Paine and Yuna began laughing uncontrollably at the sight.

"Hey Yunie, that was mean!" Rikku said, wiping snot from her face.

"Sorry Rikku, it was just too good an opportunity to pass up." Yuna giggled.

"Aww...we're sorry snot face. That's so disgusting, wipe that on a leaf or something..." Paine snickered, patting Rikku on the head.

Paine, while never saying outright, always enjoyed Rikku's vibrant personality. Although she was annoying to be around at times, her "idiotcracy" easily made up for that. Rikku pouted a tremendous pout and finished blowing her brains out onto another handkerchief. Yuna and Paine laughed again at the sight of this.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound burst out from Paine's Commsphere. The grumbling sound of Brother's voice could be heard emanating from the static.

"Yuna, how are things going on the island?"

Yuna paused for a moment, and winked at Rikku and Paine. Then she proceeded to shout, "Ahh! Help us, we're dying!"

"Whaaat! Hold on Yuna, I'm coming to save you!" he bellowed over the Commsphere.

He then was confused by the sound of intense laughter, not screaming, that came across from the Commsphere.

"Yuna! Yuna! What is happening?"

"It's ok Brother, I was just kidding." she chuckled.

"Wha! Vun dra muja uv Home (For the love of Home) don't scare me like that Yuna. I could have had a heart attack!"

"Serves you right, " Rikku interrupted, "you didn't tell us where to go."

The Commsphere buzzed a few odd pulses, and the sound of Shinra's voice came forth.

"Sorry about that guys, I remembered after you left that I didn't give you coordinates. I apologize for the error. Anyway, the ruins and the sphere you'll looking for are in the center of the island. If you haven't been wandering too much, it shouldn't be far away."

"Alright Shinra, thanks. I think we can handle things from here." Yuna replied.

"Err...give me that, " Brother's voice rumbled, "are you sure Yuna?"

"Yes, I am quite sure."

"Roger that. Over and out!"

Yuna looked over at the other girls, who were shaking their heads. Yuna smiled and signaled for the girls to follow her. The three trekked once again into the brush. Sounds of birds fluttering above them echoed throughout. In a few minutes, then came across their first ruin – a small statue of a Tonberry. The girls stood for a moment, looking peculiarly at the stone turtle-like thing. Shrugging it off, they went on to see more.

After clearing a line of trees, they came upon what looked like a large shrine. Rikku suggested they should explore inside. Of course, Paine thought that was a bad idea. Rikku argued that the sphere might be in there. Not to be caught in conflict, Yuna went inside the shrine, leaving Rikku and Paine to catch up. Inside, they were presented by a large room, much like that of a temple. There were three rooms apparent – one to the left, one to the right, and one in the middle, raised above ground level. In the middle of the room was a circlet of five more Tonberry statues. However, these Tonberrys were giant size, maybe three times as big as the Gullwings.

"Well girls, let's try door number one." Rikku said, pointing to the door on the left.

Yuna walked up to the old wooden door. A line of symbols ran across the top of the door, just a bit above eye level. None of them knew what these symbols meant, and Rikku determined that none of them looked scary, so they pushed open the door. Beyond lied the remains of hundreds of broken lanterns, or, at least that is what they determined them to be. In the opposite side of the room was a large pile of robes. Rikku picked one up.

"Huh? These things are so small, and they smell kinda funny." she said, throwing the robe down abruptly.

"These are some real odd things to be finding in a temple, wouldn't you say Yuna?" Paine commented, looking bewilderedly at the mess.

Yuna thought for a moment, examining everything for herself. She tapped her finger to her mouth. Then she spotted a small glass orb sitting on a shelf in the back of the room. Nimbly walking around the broken lanterns, she approached the orb. At first glance, it appeared to be a sphere. But in actuality, it looked more like a key.

"What do you think this is for?" she asked.

"Who knows," answered Rikku, "maybe there really is secret treasure here."

Paine sighed, "Rikku, where are a bunch of Tonberrys going to get treasure at."

"Well – you never know."

Yuna interjected, "How about we go look into the other rooms."

Rikku, excited to leave the stinky robes, grabbed Paine by the arm and jerked her out of the room. Rikku led her over to the other room on the right. Once again, the musty door had a line of symbols carved into it.

"These don't look scary either," Rikku babbled, "so it's safe to go in."

"So you say..." teased Paine.

Rikku stuck her tongue out and ripped open the door. In a painful jolt, she fell on her butt. Yuna laughed and helped her to her feet.

"Stupid door! Fryd y beala uv... (What a piece of...)"

"It's alright Rikku. Don't stir up the dust or you'll liable to start sneezing again." Paine growled, smacking Rikku in the back of the head for being stupid.

"Hey!" Rikku snapped back.

"Children, children! Can't we all get along?" Yuna said, rolling her eyes at the two, "Let's just locate the sphere."

The second room was just as musty as the first, but much smaller. In it, an old fireplace-like structure was built in the left side. Along the right and back walls appeared to be books – very old books. However, most were moldy and nearly destroyed by centuries of deterioration. Rikku picked up one that had a lot of pictures in it. Thinking it was a cute Tonberry kids book, she flipped through the pages.

On the first page was a picture of a weird turtle thingy, or at least that's what Rikku came up with. The second page showed it next to two tiny Tonberrys, so the turtle must be huge. The third page had the big turtle again, but this time it was colored silver, and had streaks of yellow coming out of it. On the next page was the two tiny Tonberrys, each throwing a ball at the big turtle thing. And the next page...was missing. Upset by the fact that the rest of her book had disintegrated eons ago, she crabbed some Al Bhed slurs and threw the book down. Beside where she had just thrown the book lied a round ball. She blew some dust off it, thinking it was a sphere. But alas, it wasn't.

"Oh well," she thought to herself, "at least I have a souvenir."

"Well, there isn't much here Yuna." sighed Paine, getting tired of standing in the damp, mucky room.

"I guess your right," Yuna nodded, "I suppose there's nothing left to do but go through door number three."

"Please don't put it like that." Paine said uncomfortably.

The third door was at the top of a rather lofty granite staircase. Paine made Rikku go first, just in case something bad happened because she was expendable. Rikku pouted, but was ultimately forced to comply by Paine's machete. Due to Rikku's distractedness, she missed the large turtle-like entity carved on the stone double-doors. Gripping the knobs on the doors, Rikku pushed her way into what appeared to be an endless corridor.

"Well, since we're here, we might as well take a look." said Rikku, although she was less than enthused.

Yuna and Paine agreed, and somehow Rikku was still made to go first. Down and down they went, inhaling what seemed like thousand year old air. About halfway down, they found themselves in almost complete darkness. However, Yuna saw a small hole in the wall, with the symbol of a torch etched beside it.

"I wonder if that's what this sphere is for..." she murmured, placing the sphere into the hole.

As if by magic, two rows of torches lit up on either sides of the corridor, lighting a path for the Gullwings to follow.

"Go Yunie! Now we're in business." Rikku cheered.

With their new-found light, the three continued down the path, which eventually opened up to a wider corridor. Numerous carvings of Tonberrys decorated the walls. It was one of the most impressive sites Yuna had ever seen. Tonberrys were always regarded as solemn, mysterious creatures. To see a temple built by them astounded her. Nearing the end of the wider corridor revealed a gigantic room, lit by what seemed like a thousand torches.

"Wow! These Tonberrys sure know how to build a temple." Rikku complemented, doing a little prance.

"I hope the sphere we'll looking for is in here." Yuna pronounced, not wanting to go home empty-handed.

She walked up to the gigantic statue in the middle of the room. It was an enormous turtle, but she knew it wasn't exactly a turtle. For some odd reason, the statue looked constructed, rather than crafted. It felt smooth to the touch, as if it was metallic, not stone. Surrounding the statue stood three sphere holders, similarly recognizable to those from the pedestals she was so familiar with. They were placed in the shape of a triangle. The two in the back, were without a sphere. However, much to Yuna's pleasure, the one in the front contained a sphere.

"Hey guys! I think I found the sphere!" she exclaimed happily.

"Cool, you're on a roll today!" belted Rikku, already celebrating.

"How about we see if it isn't a dud first." suggested Paine, as she was tired of finding busted spheres.

"Good idea," acknowledged Yuna, "I'll just pull it out..."

As soon as the sphere left its snug placement in the pedestal, the room began to shake violently. Scared half to death that she set off a trap, Yuna quickly jammed the sphere back into place. However, it did nothing to quell the earthquake that was raging on. Without warning, the statue that had been majestically resting in front of them began moving. Sparks flew off of it, and it became fully animated.

"Oh no!" shrieked Rikku, "It can't be!"

"What is it!" yelled Paine.

"There's no way...but I think that's a machina!"

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_**Next Chapter: **What have the Gullwings got themselves into? From doing a little exploring in a thousand year old Tonberry temple to awakening an ancient machina, the girls have once again gotten themselves eyeball high in trouble. But can the resourceful Gullwings figure out the secret of taming the beast?_


	3. Chapter 3 – Tragedy of the Ancient Machi...

**Chapter 3 – Tragedy of the Ancient Machina**

_Hey all! How do you like the story thus far? Give me an opinion in the ol' reviews section, I'd like to hear your feedback. Anyway, on with the show..._

**Note (3/25/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

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Rikku chocked back a scream when she realized that this statue might actually be an ancient machina. She asked herself how could it be here of all places. Yuna and Paine were just as dumbfounded. Nonetheless, they had little time to gawk, as this machina took a quick jab at Yuna. She barely dodged it, getting knocked off her feet by the following crash of its arm into the ground.

The strength of this machina was incredible. A small punch put a gigantic dent into the solid-stone floor. Yuna grunted in pain, but luckily wasn't injured.

"Ahh! Yunie are you ok?" shrieked Rikku.

Yuna stood up and dusted herself off, "Yeah...it'll take more than a cheap shot to kill me."

Paine nodded at Yuna's quick resilience, and pulled out her large warrior's sword. Quite angered by her near-death hit, Yuna whipped out her pair of pretty pistols. It was time to, well, "gelg cusa ycc" as Rikku put it. Running parallel to each other on either side of the machina, Yuna and Paine shot and stabbed it with fury. However, this was to little effect. It roared and smacked Paine with its huge arm, knocking her into a wall. Then, large yellow sparks emerged from its head, and fired a beam of lightning in front of Yuna, nearly frying her.

"Stupid machina! I'll take you apart myself!" bellowed Rikku, as she jumped onto its back.

"Rikku! Get off of that!" yelled Yuna frantically.

But to no avail was her plea, as Rikku was set on dismantling the machina. She jammed her twin blades rapidly into the back of its head. Unfortunately, nothing happened from it. Instead, the machina snapped its head back, flinging Rikku into the wall nearby the unconscious Paine.

"No Rikku!" screamed Yuna.

Yuna sprinted around the machina and took a defensive position in front of her friends. There was no way she would let some 1000 year old tin can kill them. Firing madly with both pistols, she clanked two clips of bullets off the machina's metallic shell. Her bullets had no effect.

"Hey, hey Yunie. I think I got an idea," chocked Rikku mutedly, in great pain from slamming into a wall, "this book I found has the two spheres we have. I think we have to use them to destroy the...watch out!"

The machina swung at Yuna in true ferocity, nearly beheading her twice. Yuna dodged and rolled away, barely getting to her feet before it attempted another blow. Its blood-red optical sensors could sense the blood of a summoner in its sights.

"Yuna, use your orb in one of the pedestals!" shouted Rikku.

Immediately, Yuna ran over to one of the pedestals behind the machina. She stuffed the sphere into place. The machina still roared, and began charging up another electrical attack. Rikku, seeing this, used all her might to stand up. She leaped over to the other pedestal and put in her sphere.

Once in place, three beams of light shot out of the pedestals, forming a pyramidal shape around the machina. It cried out a hideous mechanical sound, and as abruptly as it came awake, it froze still. This killing machine stood dormant, clouds of dust swarming around it. Yuna held her breath, waiting to make sure the beast was finally silent. Once assured, she moved over to Rikku, who was panting heavily.

"Are you alright Rikku?" she asked, attempting to assess her wounds.

"Yeah, I think I'm ok. But Paine looks like she might..."

"Hey shrimp, don't take pity on me," interrupted Paine, who knelt down in front of Rikku, "it just stunned me for a bit."

"Whew! You guys had me worried." exhaled Yuna, relieved that everyone was fine.

"Well, getting thrown into a wall was no picnic. E uikrd du pmuf dryd cdibet drehk ib! (I ought to blow that stupid thing up!)" Rikku declared, still unhappy by seeing a cutout of herself in the wall.

"I told you guys going in here was a bad idea." grumbled Paine, poking Rikku in the forehead.

"Heheh. Oops..."

"Hey, look at that over there." said Yuna, pointing over to a pedestal near the three others.

She walked over to it, and took a long, hard look at it. It appeared to be a real sphere. She closed her eyes, and pulled it out. Squinting her green eye open, she witnessed the machina staying put. Sighing in relief, she began examining the sphere further.

"It looks like this might be what we came for!" she cheered.

Rikku ran over to her, "Yippee! Oww...see, coming here was a good thing after all."

"So, what's on it?" asked Paine, wanting to see something real good.

"I don't know. Let's find out..."

With a flip and a click, the sphere began projecting an extremely fuzzy image. At first, it was impossible to make out – being merely blue haze. Then the picture sharpened. First appeared a young woman, maybe around Yuna's age. Her long brown hair flew behind her as she appeared to be sprinting away from something. Fear ran in her eyes. After a little static, the image of the machina they had just fought roared behind her. Also, it appeared there were some Tonberrys in the background.

The image faded out, but a second appeared. Again, this girl was shown fleeing from the raging machina. Now she appeared outside a temple or similar structure. The image degraded almost to the point of nothing. However, a man's voice could still be heard.

_"Please fzzt don't go that way bzzzt Lenne!"_

The sphere clicked off. None of the Gullwings understood what they had just seen. That girl...seemed familiar. However, they'd never heard of anyone named "Lenne" before, although Yuna thought that was familiar as well.

Rikku was the first to speak, "Well...that was interesting..."

"What a waste. What good will that do us." barked Paine.

Yuna sighed, "I guess it won't hurt if we let Shinra examine it. At least he might find some use from it."

The Gullwings left the Tonberry temple and headed back to Kilika. Disappointed by their lackluster sphere, Rikku actually sat quite on their boat ride back. Paine, not needing a reason remain silent, sat and stared out into the ocean. Yuna, still thinking about the sphere, wondered who this "Lenne" was. Her name seemed so familiar, it sulked on the tip of her tongue. Still, what did she care. Whoever this Lenne was, she died over 1000 years ago, and had nothing to do with finding Tidus. Once again, she was let down by another sphere.

"Oh Tidus, where are you..."

* * *

**_Next chapter: _**_Still bummed out that the sphere they went through so much trouble to obtain turned out to be worthless, the Gullwings try to cheer up in Kilika. While Yuna and the gang are visiting an old friend, Shinra make an intriguing connection between this sphere and the ones they have found before. Perhaps the "Tonberry Sphere" is worth more than meets the eye?_


	4. Chapter 4 – Twisted Past, Twisted Emotio...

**Chapter 4 – Twisted Past, Twisted Emotion**

**Note (3/25/05):** I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

Paine threw the boat keeper a line to their boat. The three had arrived back in Kilika none to happy. With their sphere a waste, the girls decided to go party in Kilika for the rest of the day. Well, it more like Yuna caving into Rikku's pleas and Paine not caring. Still, the girls believed they deserved a break. It was also a good time to relax, as fighting off that machina sure built up a sweat.

The girls walked down the pier and into the town. It was approaching evening, and the people were getting ready for supper. Coming out of a large building down the road, Brother and Buddy signaled to the girls.

"I hoped they found a cool place for us to stay." expressed Rikku, waving back to Brother and Buddy.

Brother immediately walked up to Yuna, "How did your search go Yuna?"

"Uh well...not so good." she said dismally.

"Oh, what went wrong. Didn't you find a sphere?" inquired Buddy, seeing the disappointment equal in Rikku and Paine.

"No, we found a sphere..." said Rikku.

"...but it isn't worth a gil." finished Paine.

"Drat! And I spent so much getting us accommodations. I guess I will cancel..."

"Oh no, we're gonna party our let down away in Kilika tonight!" acclaimed Rikku, strutting around Brother.

"What! Crazy...," grumbled Brother, "just don't spend all our gil. I'm not..."

"...made of gil, we know." Paine said sarcastically.

"Crid ib! Tuh'd sulg sa! (Shut up! Don't mock me!)" yelled Brother, who once again did him famous sulking away act.

Yuna chuckled, "Poor brother."

"Hey, I have an idea." Rikku blurted out randomly.

"Yuna – run." encouraged Paine.

"Hey, it's not like that," argued Rikku, "since we're here, why don't we visit Dona."

"Oh Rikku, that's a great idea. I wonder how she and Barthello are getting along?"

"Hopefully better than they were the last time we were here."

Yuna and Rikku laughed, and even Paine cracked a smile. Dona lived just a couple houses from where they were. Although Yuna insisted it was good measure to knock first, Rikku went ahead and barged into Dona's house.

"Rikku? Yuna?" she said, surprised at their sudden intrusion, "don't you know it's prudent to knock before you enter one's home."

"Sorry," apologized Yuna, pointing to Rikku, "you can't really control this one."

Rikku smiled a big, goofy grin at Dona, who rolled her eyes. She motioned for the girls to have a seat.

"So tell me, what brings the Gullwings to Kilika?"

"Well, we picked up a sphere signal on an island near here, and we came to investigate." explained Yuna, while sitting on one of Dona's big, comfy chairs.

"Hmm...did you already look for it?"

"Yes, but the sphere isn't very useful."

"Aw, sorry to hear. But, since you're in Kilika, you might as well enjoy yourself."

Rikku nodded vigorously, thinking back to the image of a sulking Brother, "That's why we're still here!"

"Also, since we are here," continued Yuna, "we thought we come and visit."

Dona smiled, "I'm glad you did. Ever since the situation between New Yevon and the Youth League diffused, things have been monotonous as of late."

Yuna chuckled. She remember the chaos that ensued when the fiends burst out of the temple. The Youth League accused New Yevon of hiding secrets in the temple. They were about ready to start a war. Poor Barthello, as much as he loves the Youth League, he loves Dona more. It was sad, but kind of funny in a way.

Yuna's Commsphere started buzzing with the sound of Brother's voice, "Yuna, are you there?"

"Go ahead Brother. What is it?" she replied.

"Shinra says you should come back to the ship. He discovered something about this sphere you found today."

Puzzled as to what Shinra could have possibly found out, she signaled back to Brother that they would return shortly.

"What was that about? Is Brother being a nag again?" asked Rikku curiously.

"No, no," she said, "he says Shinra found some kind of information out about the sphere we captured earlier today."

"No kidding" replied a quite perplexed Paine, "what is it?"

"I don't know – he just said to come back to the Celsius," she replied, then looked over at Dona, "I apologize for cutting our visit short. Perhaps you'll want to meet us again tonight?"

Dona smiled, "Yeah sure, no problem. Maybe I'll even drag Barthello along if he shuts up about the Youth League long enough."

Yuna nodded and got up from the chair. The other girls followed suit. Yuna still couldn't figure what possible thing Shinra could come up with from that sphere. Maybe he figured out who that girl..."Lenne" was. Her name seemed so familiar, as if Yuna had heard it before.

In the Celsius and up the lift, the Gullwings went straight to the bridge. Each one of them was truly intrigued as to what Shinra had discovered. Upon entering the bridge, they were greeted by a "lookie here" from Brother.

"Alright, enough with the suspense," let loose Rikku, almost overcome with anticipation, "what is this amazing discovery Shinra made?"

Shinra looked at Brother, scratching his head, "It isn't really _that_ important, but I've made some fairly interesting finds."

"Eh!" yelled Rikku, "that's it – 'fairly interesting'? Brother made it sound super important."

"Sorry, I thought it was important!" exclaimed Brother, trying to defend himself.

"Anyway, since you're all here, I might as well explain what I found," began Shinra, "First, the place you viewed from the sphere is not the island where you found it."

"Oh, it wasn't?" asked Yuna.

"Nope. See here," continued Shinra, bringing up a frozen image of the sphere, "the architecture of those building in the background match that of Bevelle a thousand years ago."

"Whoa really? How do you know?" asked Rikku, who was all impressed by Shinra's knowledge.

"I looked it up in a book." he replied dully, getting a smug look back from her.

"Therefore, how this sphere, and the machina for that matter, got to the island is a real mystery. From the data I saw on the sphere, that machina looked like a rare defender model. Probably used to guard something of value. Not sure why it was on the loose in Bevelle after this girl. But oh well..."

"Speaking of the girl," inquired Yuna, who couldn't help herself from not asking, "did you find out anything about her?"

"I was getting there," Shinra replied, clearing out his throat, "Allow me to show you...or rather, allow me to allow you to listen to who she may be. You've heard her name before."

The girls just gave Shinra a blank look of puzzlement. They had no idea what he was talking about.

"Ugh, somehow I'm not surprised. Here, just listen!"

After a few screeches and zaps, the sound of the man's voice was played again, this time much clearer...

"_Please come here! Don't go down that way! Lenne!"_

"That was a high-resolution version of what you listened to. Anything sound familiar now?" suggested Shinra, looking straight at Yuna.

"Could it be...it sounds like him. Is it Shinra?" she asked in exasperation.

Shinra didn't say anything, and simply played a clip from his database.

"_You know, you're all I can count on to save Lenne."_

Yuna gasped. That's where she heard the name before. It was from him, the man who looked like Tidus. But, why did he know her? Then the real question popped into her mind: _how_ did he know her? If she really did live 1000 years ago, then she had long since died. Still, he called her name.

Shinra spoke once again, jolting Yuna out of her haze, "Comparing the voice from the Crimson Sphere, and the voice from what I'll call the 'Tonberry Sphere,' I'd say they're a 70 match. It seems they may have been spoken by the same person."

"Is that possible?" asked Paine, finally speaking.

"I have no idea," Shinra replied, honest to his own incomplete understanding, "I can't give much of an explanation."

"I don't get it at all, "mumbled Rikku, "what do you think Yunie?"

But she was not their to receive Rikku's question, as to Rikku's surprise.

"Huh? Yunie, where'd ya go?"

Everyone looked around, completely dumbfounded as to where Yuna had vanished to. They also looked stupid for not noticing her slip away. Yuna had heard enough of this Lenne, who ever she was. She's long since dead, now relegated to an image on a sphere. Yet, he said her name.

A mix of feelings stirred in her mind, creating a raging tonic too hard for her to swallow. She walked off the ship and down the pier the Celsius was docked at. Her head was down, and her hands behind her back. It was now evening, and Kilika was crowded with festivities. Dusk approached, and the sun held heavy on the ocean's horizon.

She walked until she found an empty pier at the end of the docks. It was dark there, she could be alone. While she normally like to talk about things, especially other people's problems, she had a hard time expressing her own. Sitting down at the end of the pier, she removed her boots, and paddled her feet in the water. It was cool to the touch, relaxing her just a bit.

Still, the image of Lenne would not leave her mind. She ponder unendingly about who she could have been, and how he could possibly have known her. Even thoughts of jealousy crept into her, something unlike her to have. The flow of Lenne's long, brown hair complemented her beautiful brown eyes perfectly. Although she was fleeing for her life, all Yuna saw was the elegant motion of her swaying body.

Yuna clenched her hand into a fist. In reality, she had nothing to worry about, of course. However, when dealing with a woman's heart, one can never know absolutely. Once again she paddled her feet in the water, gazing at the hazy sunset. The ripples of purple, pink, orange, and blue paralleled the ripples of the ocean waves. A tear fell from her eye. She brushed it aside, but another soon followed.

She sniffled and said to herself, "I will find you Tidus. I will find you..."

* * *

_**Next chapter: **What is the connection between Tidus, Lenne, and the Vegnagun? As that mystery continues, the girls are alerted to an old friend's trouble. Fiends have attacked O'aka's store, and the girls go to his rescue._


	5. Chapter 5 – Someone Save Poor O'aka

**Chapter 5 – Someone Save Poor O'aka**

_I'd like to reaffirm the fact that I don't own any of the character from the Final Fantasy series, that's all Square-Enix. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Also, gimme some feedback. I'd like to know how you all feel about the story so far. I've tried to slim up the chapters a little bit, but it's proving to be pretty hard. Thanks!_

**Note (3/25/05):** I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

The Gullwings, well, the Gullwings minus Yuna, enjoyed the rest of their evening at Kilika. Paine and Dona shared a pair of drinks while Barthello entertained Rikku with his old stories. There was no talk of Yevon or the League, just light-hearted festivities.

In the back of both Rikku and Paine's minds, lurked the absence of Yuna. She was quite old enough, and more than responsible enough to go out on her own. But they didn't know why she left without telling them. Rikku was having a terrible fit until Barthello calmed her down. Paine supposed Rikku had been Yuna's guardian for too long – it was a bad habit.

The girls returned to the Celsius, well past Rikku's bedtime as Paine remarked. They were pleasantly surprised to find Yuna sleeping quietly in her bed.

"Even while she's sleeping, she looks so innocent." whispered Paine to Rikku.

Rikku muffled up her giggle and waved goodnight to Paine. It had been a long day for the three. Rikku thought Yuna just needed a little R&R time for herself.

Somber sunlight peered through the windows of the Celsius next morning. Unlike the previous day's warm sun, today was cool and drafty. Lines of gray clouds ran across the sky, dimming the light on the ground. It was a melancholy day – a good day to sleep in.

Instead, sudden burst of noise rocked the Gullwings out of bed. Apparently, nobody told Brother it was a good day to sleep in, as he sounded the ship's alarm.

"Uh, what's going on," said a half-conscious Rikku, "is there some kind of four alarm fire?"

Paine, not happy by being startled out of a nice dream, yelled in some general direction, "I'm gonna kill someone if that thing isn't turned off!"

Yuna rubbed her eyes. She, too, didn't appreciate the sudden ear-deafening sound pulsating off her skull.

"Brother," she yelled into what she hoped was an open intercom, "what's going on?"

The alarm finally ceased, to the relief of the girls. Finally, after a buzz and a crackle, Brother voice was heard coming across the intercom.

"Rise and shine girls, we have an important job to do!" he said boldly, not realizing how badly he upset the girls.

"What! What kind of job could possibly require that alarm to wake us up!" Paine yelled furiously.

"Oui yna cilr yh eteud Brother! (You are such an idiot Brother!)" seconded Rikku, never happy to wake up earlier than needed.

"Just hurry, I'll explain it on the bridge. It's urgent!" he demanded.

The girls looked at each other with equal...affliction. The girls changed clothes and ran up to the bridge. It seemed Buddy had just gotten out of bed as well, since he yawned about every ten seconds.

"Alright Brother, what's this urgent job?" Rikku grumbled.

"Well, it seems your friend O'aka the in debt salesman jumped ship last night while you were away." he finally explained.

"O'aka jumped ship?" asked Yuna in disbelief, "Why did he do that?"

Brother shrugged, "How should I know. The guys was kinda fruity to begin with. Anyway, I figured he went back to his shop, so..."

"So what?" Paine asked with rage in her eyes.

"Uh, so I used that Commsphere doodad Shinra created and took a peek at his shop in Macalania. It's being attacked by fiends, and he doesn't look like he can handle them." explained Brother, trying to not get beat up.

"That's terrible. We should help him." exclaimed Yuna.

"Right! Who else is gonna sell us stuff dirt cheap." cheered Rikku.

"I thought he was just a swindler." glumly remarked Paine.

Brother threw his arm into the air, and began to do one of his spastic dances around the bridge. He scared everyone.

"That's it – Gullwings to the rescue!" he screamed.

"Here we go again..." sobbed Paine.

Buddy set in a course for Macalania and floored the Celsius. Yuna and Rikku were ready and set to help poor O'aka. Paine, on the other hand, wasn't so enthusiastic. Yuna guessed it was perhaps because she didn't know how much he helped her in the past. He even went to jail because of her.

The Celsius quickly approached the snowy tundra outside Macalania Woods. It was about now that Yuna wished she had a big fur coat to wear, maybe something made from Chocobo feathers. At the moment, hundreds of Chocobos all over Spira sneezed. Buddy prepared to land the Celsius near O'aka's store.

"Better get ready to deploy, we're here." Buddy motioned.

"Gotcha! Let's go bag us some fiends!" yelled a ready-to-go Rikku.

The Gullwings went into full swing, and approached the entrance to O'aka's store. Fiends surrounded the building, although most of them were fairly weak.

"Ah, this ought to be easy." declare an eager Rikku.

"I'd say it'll be a walk in the park, but there's no grass here." said Paine sarcastically.

Rikku, wielding two Al Bhed grenades, leaped into action. Pulling the pins out with her bare teeth, she lobbed them at a jelly-like fiend. The two grenades exploded, shooting sticky jelly all over the place.

"Ha ha! Got one!" cried Rikku in victory.

Not to be outdone, Paine charged up a ball of energy in her gigantic samurai-like sword. Two beams shot out from her like fireworks, plastering two flying bat-winged eyeballs into oblivion.

Yuna, calmly and quietly, ripped the living Fayth out of three wolf creatures with her pair of pistols. Rikku and Paine looked at her in awe.

"Didn't think a little girl like me could pack so much heat?" boasted Yuna.

Her partners smirked, and went back to clobbering the other fiends. It was a short task, as these fiends couldn't handle the enormous amount of "fruub ycc" the Gullwings brought. Noticing the fiends were slain, O'aka slowly poked his head out of the door.

"Is it safe to come out?" he asked, peering around cautiously.

"Yes O'aka, it's ok now." replied Yuna warmly.

O'aka sighed in relief, "Thank you very much Gullwings. I don't how I can repay you."

"It's nothing..." began Yuna.

However, Rikku rudely interrupted, "Got any cool stuff we can buy!"

"Uh, well of course I do m'lady. O'aka is always open for business. A couple measly fiends can't keep me from making a sale!"

O'aka began to lead the Gullwings inside his place when the ground rumbled violently below them. They quickly turned around to see a gigantic fiend approaching them.

"That sucker is huge!" bellowed Rikku.

"Oh great, just what we need." growled Paine, judging the colossal strength of the fiend.

Towering above them, the fiends three heads roared profusely, each appearing to bear a different element type. Its feet and hands were red in color, and its tale took the form of a hissing snake. Suddenly a dual burst of fire and ice flew at the girls and O'aka. High-tailing it to safety, O'aka once again ran inside his shop.

"Alright girls," shouted Yuna, "it's time to coordinate!"

Rikku pulled a quartet of big gems out of her pockets. She chucked them at the beast. Blasts of red, blue, white, and yellow attacked the fiend. However, it was unaffected, and even more angered.

"Oh man, that wasn't part of the plan." shuttered Rikku, giving a nervous chuckle afterwards.

"Um, let's try this again!" yelled Paine as she charged the beast.

Large swirls of black engulfed Paine's sword and the fiend as she charged for her attack. It took a lunging swipe at Paine, but she swiftly dodged it, not stopping her advance. The burning gaze in her eyes hit its peak when she ran into striking range.

"Zantetsu – _die!_" yelled Paine demoniacally at the fiend.

Nevertheless, no matter how loud Paine screamed, the fiend didn't die. Instead, it counter with a blast of electricity, nearly electrocuting Paine to death.

"Wait a sec..." called out Yuna, "I have an idea. Distract it for a minute!"

"Oh sure Yuna. Maybe Rikku can make faces at it." replied Paine, none to happy at Yuna's request.

"Well you know what..." Rikku said, getting ready to do something Paine was not going to enjoy.

In a sudden, insane burst of things unimaginable to a normal person, Rikku started running circles around the fiend. All the while, she was hooting and hollering while making idiotic faces at it.

"Rikku!" Paine yelled, of course to no avail, "...for all the goodness in Spira – stop doing that!"

It may not have been graceful, but Rikku's antics did distract the fiend. It was intelligent enough to know when it was being taunted. In fits of rage, it threw all kinds of magical attacks at Rikku, but couldn't hit the crazy Al Bhed girl to save its life.

"Got it..." declared Yuna, placing a blue-colored bullet into a funky looking gun, "stand back Rikku!"

With a howling blast, the bullet shot from Yuna's gun pelted the fiend straight one of the heads, dropping the fiend in one clean shot. Letting out a final, curdling whimper, it plopped down dead, quaking the ground nearby.

"Duck soup!" cheered Yuna delightfully.

"Duck what?" said a confused Paine.

"Ohh...I was having fun playing with the fiend." pouted Rikku.

"What!" shouted a very upset Paine, "That thing could have killed you!"

Rikku didn't reply, only giving Paine a mischievous wink. Then, a crackle sounded behind them. Once again, it was O'aka poking his head out of the door. This time, he made extra sure it was all clear.

"Well, I certainly hope that is all of those wretched fiends. That'll show 'em." he said, bolstering his voice to save face for cowering away.

"Right..." Paine sighed, rolling her eyes.

A buzzing sound came from Yuna's Commsphere.

"Yuna, have you guys finished up?" came the sound of Brother's voice.

"Yep, we just liberated O'aka's store." smiled Yuna.

"Um...er, once again, thank you girls. You're a real lifesaver." thanked O'aka vigorously, "please come by any time to buy your supplies. I'll give you all a real terrific discount."

Paine shook her head, "I still say he's a swindler."

Yuna and Rikku laughed, "Goodbye O'aka!"

The Gullwings returned to the Celsius, ready to get warm. Macalania's frigid snow was not something they really enjoyed. Bartender, thoughtful as always, had three cups of hot cocoa ready for them. Once again, the Gullwings completed a successful mission.

* * *

_**Next chapter: **O'aka may be saved, but what of the rest of Spira. With the leaders of the Youth League and New Yevon (Nooj and Baralai) missing, bad situations are brewing between the two factions. What can the Gullwings do to help, or will they choose not to help at all?_


	6. Chapter 6 – Operation Infiltrate Bevelle...

**Chapter 6 – Operation: Infiltrate Bevelle (Part 1)**

**Note (3/26/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

The Celsius hovered over the rising cliffs of the Calm Lands. The rolling grass gave way to an even better sight – games. YPR (Yuna, Paine, Rikku) had been hanging out there along with the rest of the Gullwings (Brother, Buddy, Shinra – even Barkeep!) enjoying the many attractions that had popped up. Yuna appreciated the ones here much more than she did the atrocity Cid made in Zanarkand.

The fiend races were a particular favorite of Rikku and Shinra. Mainly this was because Rikku had amazing luck, and Shinra had a freaky knack for calculating odds. Yuna preferred the slots-type game, where you had to line up fiends in a row of three. She wasn't all that great at it, but she still had some fun.

Brother hated all the games, because he always lost.

"Ack! This place is rigged I tell you." he rambled, waving his arms wildly in the air.

"That's because you suck at life!" teased Rikku very meanly.

Brother stormed off back into the Celsius, with his proverbial tail between his legs, not to mention the fact he had no more tickets left.

"Ha ha! That Brother isn't good for nothing." laughed Rikku, shaking her head.

"Sometimes I don't know how you two don't end up killing each other." replied Paine, who couldn't help but roll her eyes at the obnoxious Rikku.

A pair of travelers walked by where Yuna was standing. She heard anxious whispering amongst them. It seemed to her that many people in Spira were acting like this recently. Everyone was in a state of doubt with the absence of the leaders of New Yevon and the Youth League. Where Baralai and Nooj went had all of Spira in an uproar. No matter where Yuna looked, she saw more and more worry on the faces of everyone.

But she came here to relax, taking her mind off of everything that was happening. She handed the attendant two tickets, and got ready to match up some fiends.

Meanwhile, the sun began to set upon the majestic hills of the Calm Lands, casting intricate shadows across the jagged plain. It also meant it was closing time, and the Gullwings had to go back home. Rikku giggled at the big handful of winnings she collected. She, however, winced when she saw the huge pile Shinra was carrying in.

Buddy did alright, but ended up losing most of his earning. Yuna smiled at Paine, who had most of her original tickets. Paine wasn't much attracted to playing games. Yuna herself ended up breaking even. Brother...well, he was still grumbling about the games being rigged.

"Hey, where's Barkeep?" asked Buddy, looking around.

"Dunno," replied Rikku, "did he already come back on?"

A quiet little pitter-patter of footsteps was heard traipsing towards the bridge. It was followed by the sounds of something rather large on wheels. Then came the most amazing sight ever witnessed in all of Spira. Barkeep entered the bridge, dragging behind him an enormous barrel of tickets.

"D-did you win all those Barkeep?" jabbered Rikku in awe.

"Yesh I did, Rikku. I shure sure gave them a clean shweep sweep." he said merrily.

The barrel squealed across the floor of the bridge. Yuna estimated he had at least a thousand tickets in there. Even Paine had a sight of amazement spread across her face. The still pouting Brother finally noticed Barkeep was back.

"You're back then. Now we can...wha! W-where did you get all those tickets from!" he yelled, his jaw dropping to the floor.

"I won them." Barkeep concisely answered.

Brother went livid at this point, "You couldn't possibly have won all those! You only started out with five!"

Barkeep, realizing that Brother was going to burst, said nothing and only smiled. A terrifying shriek bellowed from Brother's mouth. He started rolling on the floor in an epileptic fit. He couldn't believe that Barkeep won a thousand fold more tickets then he did.

Brother got up and screamed, "Hu fyo! Fro tuac so meva ymfyoc cilg! _Ed'c hud vyen! _(No way! Why does my life always suck! _It's not fair!_)"

Everyone else on the bridge laughed hysterically at the sight of Brother flipping out like a mad man. Brother shook his fists into the air and mumbled a slew a dirty words in Al Bhed.

"Poor Brother really does suck at life." chuckled Paine, for a change cracking a joke.

"E ryda oui ymm! (I hate you all!)" yelled back Brother, who turned around and stormed off the bridge.

And with that graceless outburst, the rest of the Gullwings decided it was time to retire for the night. Yuna gathered her little pocketful of tickets and headed to bed. For once, she's had a couple of uneventful days in a row. Normally it has been pick up and go hunt for a sphere. She knew it wouldn't last, and it didn't need to. But a nice relaxing time was something she usually found herself yearning for.

Unfortunately for Yuna, the streak of easy days came to an end the next day. After a lazy morning of sleeping in, she finally made it up to the bridge. Rikku was standing by Shinra, impatiently waiting for Yuna to arrive for a while now.

"Hey sleepy head, it's about time you got up here." she grumbled.

"I didn't feel like getting up. So what's up?"

Rikku pointed to Shinra, "He says there are some major sphere signals coming from Bevelle."

"That's right," continued Shinra in a matter-of-fact way, "I was bored last night, so I scanned Spira for sphere waves. I happened to come across an exceptionally strong one emanating from Bevelle."

"Bevelle of all places...what makes it so special?" asked Yuna, staring attentively at the flashing icon on Shinra's screen.

"Nothing at first, until I did a more in-depth scan." he replied, typing madly at his console.

Upon his screen can a map of Bevelle. He scrolled over towards the temple area, where New Yevon headquarters was located. A flashing red light signaled there was sphere signals coming from the temple. Shinra then typed some more, and brought up an array of numbers that meant nothing to Rikku or Yuna.

"From my further investigation, I've determined that the sphere waves are coming from beneath the New Yevon temple."

Yuna and Rikku looked at each other in disbelief.

"You mean the sphere is under the temple?" asked a puzzled Rikku.

"Exactly," replied Shinra concisely, "fairly far down I might add."

"How do you know for sure?" questioned Yuna.

"Normally I wouldn't, but we are close enough to Bevelle from here that I can accomplish a detailed enough scan. Plus, the sphere waves travel well in this area."

Rikku looked at Yuna and shrugged her shoulders, "That's great and all, but what should we do?"

"I'll tell you what we should do," interjected Brother, bumbling onto the bridge, "we should go to Bevelle and infiltrate the temple. Then, we'll locate the sphere and claim it for the Gullwings!"

"That's easier said then done." pointed out Paine, who also entered the bridge.

"Bah, do not be such a spoil sport." countered Brother, waving his hand up and down.

"I think Brother is right," agreed Yuna, to the amazement of Paine and Rikku, "a secret sphere at Bevelle could really be significant."

Rikku thought for a change, "You know, she might be right. I mean, if those Yevon nuts hide something, you know it has to be of real value."

"I don't disagree. But we can't just waltz into Bevelle. We're already on their bad side for giving the Youth League that sphere. Hell, Yuna is practically enemy number one over there. I think it is too dangerous at this point." explained Paine, who was genuinely worried.

"Hmm..." Rikku hummed, "well, then we'll have to sneak in."

"Sneak in?" remarked a vexed Yuna.

"Yeah, why not. I mean, we'll make some solider outfits and slip on in!" Rikku exclaimed, thrusting her fist into the air cheerily.

"Right, just like we snuck into Leblanc's place. It definitely won't be that easy...but I'll let Yuna make the call." Paine sighed, motioning to Yuna for a decision.

Yuna paused, and then spoke quietly, "I know this may not be easy, but I think we should check this out. Whatever is down there is being hidden for a reason. I think it'll be worth the risk."

Rikku nodded and looked at Paine. Paine hesitated, but then also nodded in agreement. It was decided, the Gullwings would venture to the not-so-friendly territory of Bevelle. Shinra laid out some old maps of the temple's underground. He figured it couldn't have change that much since the maps were made.

Navigating the temple wouldn't be too difficult. However, getting inside the temple seemed much harder. It wouldn't be a problem for Rikku and Paine to get in inconspicuously, but Yuna remained a concern. The best thing the Gullwings could come up with was to sneak up on a guard and sack him.

Yuna didn't like this at all, but she saw no other way. The girls got into a mindset, as they might have to unleash their skills for real. Cracking Bevelle was not going to be an easy task. They didn't get a lot of prep time, as the Celsius soon descended on Bevelle's outskirts.

Leaving the ship, Rikku and Paine trotted towards the temple. Yuna, disguised with a thick blue cloak, walked behind them just out of sight. Rikku and Paine peered around, looking for an opportune guard to jump. They approached the gate before the temple. However, there were too many guards around it. Paine shook her head, motioning Yuna to fall back. Rikku suggested they should enter the city to complete their guard-jumping mission.

The actual city of Bevelle, a place Yuna hadn't been to for many years, was more impressive than she remembered. Lines of tall building graced each street. She was soon upon a grand bazaar, with items of all kinds being sold. Travelers from all over Spira were passing by her. She turned to look behind her, and saw Rikku luring a guard into a back alley.

"That's where they must be planning on jumping a guard." she thought to herself.

She began walking over towards the alley, careful not to ruin Rikku's guise. When she reached the alleyway, she witnessed the guard getting a good whack on the head from the shadowy figure of Paine. Rikku waved for her to come back with them.

"Here ya go Yunie, one Bevelle costume ready to go." presented Rikku.

"Careful Yuna, it's kind of sweaty." added Paine, slumming on Rikku's accomplishment.

Yuna picked up the uniform reluctantly, peering at it with disdain. She sighed, and forced it on herself. The man who had been wearing it was about six inches taller than Yuna, so it didn't fit well at all.

"You look dorky with that on Yunie." laughed Rikku, pointing at the draping sleeves.

"It'll have to do," commanded Paine, "let's get going."

The Gullwings left back for the temple. They approached it with a little more "gull" this time. Once they reached the gate, Rikku shoved Yuna in front.

"You gotta look prominent," she whispered to her, "put on a good show to get us in."

"These two would like to enter the temple." said Yuna, adjusting her helmet to make it straight.

"What business do you have with the temple?" asked one of the guards standing next to the gate.

"Uh..." stuttered Yuna.

"We have some info on where Baralai might be," blurted Rikku suddenly, "you do want us to tell you guys, right?

"Oh, you do? Well, of course – enter, enter!" huffed the second guard as he opened the gate up.

The three entered, and neared the temple entrance. They hoped that would be the hardest part of the infiltration, although Paine wasn't getting her hopes up. Inside the temple were a few priests walking around. Shinra had told them they needed to access a control panel in an adjoining room to change the lift's route. Yuna searched for the most senile-looking priest she could find. A very old priest was sitting near the lift napping.

"Excuse me, I'm new with New Yevon...do you know how I can change the lift to make it go down." she asked, with Yuna-class politeness.

The old man peered up with his wrinkly face and replied, "go into the room to your left and hit the glowing blur pedestal thing."

The old man promptly went back to sleep. Yuna shrugged and walked over to the room on the left. She found two pedestals. Both of them glowed blue. Not sure which one to choose, she took a closer look. It then became obvious that the one with the big arrow pointing down might be the right one to choose. She placed her hand upon it, and gave a gentle push.

When nothing happened, she scratched her head, and gave it another gentle push. It became obvious the pedestal wasn't going anywhere. She looked up and down it, thinking there was a switch she missed. All of the sudden, the pedestal jolted back about two feet. Yuna fumbled to her butt and gave out a shriek.

She looked up and saw a celebrating Rikku. Apparently, Rikku was tired of waiting for Yuna to stop being good-natured and just move the pedestal. So, she gave it a flying kick.

"Don't do that! You could have taken off my head!" yelled Yuna, huffing and puffing on the ground.

Rikku reached out her hand, lifting Yuna up, "Heh, sorry Yunie – but you're too soft with things. Sometimes you have to give a big swift kick!"

"Well that something could have been my _head!"_

Rikku flashed Yuna a goofy smile and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her back to where Paine was standing. She was tapping her foot impatiently, her typical bad habit.

"Alright, the lift is set. We're ready to go." said Yuna, looking around.

The only person in the room was that sleeping old priest. Everyone else had cleared out, giving the girls their chance to infiltrate.

"C'mon Gullwings, its time to rock n' roll." encouraged Rikku, who didn't hesitate jumping onto the lift.

Paine pulled the switch, and with a shutter, the lift began descending down into the depths of Bevelle. None of the girls truly knew what to expect. Rikku figured it would be fun, but Yuna and Paine weren't as optimistic.

The old man sitting near the lift peered open his wrinkly eyes. Standing up, the old man walked over to where the lift had just been, glancing downwards into the shaft. He put to his mouth a small piece of electronics.

"They have descended."

* * *

_**Next chapter: **Without much trouble, the girls have entered the underground of Bevelle. But what secrets await them there? Yuna and Rikku have dealt with Bevelle's secrecy before, and can only imagine what the temple is hiding now. But could it be more than they can handle?_


	7. Chapter 7 – Operation Infiltrate Bevelle...

**Chapter 7 – Operation: Infiltrate Bevelle (Part 2)**

**Note (3/26/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

Rikku always got the creeps of Bevelle's temple. The last time she was here, she was helping Yuna escape from Maester Seymour. Every time she thought of that freak trying to marry Yuna, shivers ran down her spine.

"You alright Rikku?" asked Paine, giving her a weird look.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm ok. This place just creeps me out." she replied grimly.

Yuna didn't seem any more enthused to be here than Rikku did. She, too, remember what Seymour tried to do to her here. Nearly killed, and separated from everyone else, she conjured back up the fear she felt during her hegira out of Bevelle.

The lift finally stopped, making visible the intertwining maze that made up the temple. At least now it seemed New Yevon make the temple more easily navigable. Yuna led off, remembering the path to the end of the temple better than she would have liked to. The neon glow of the paths, not to mention the sounds of functioning machina, made her blood boil. She thought of all the people Bevelle persecuted – in past and present, only for them to hypocritically use the same tools themselves.

The Gullwings hopped over to another set of winding paths. There wasn't much in the way of activity, which surprised them. They thought by now they'd have to fight a couple of guards. No automated defenses were set up either.

"This place is a breeze," chuckled Rikku, "those idiot New Yevon people don't even have any defenses..."

Out of no where, a pair of flying fiends swooped down at them. Each one shot at them out with their uni-eyes.

"W-what are _fiends_ doing in Bevelle's temple?" bellowed Paine in complete shock.

This was no mirage, but the Gullwings sure didn't believe what they saw. Yuna got nailed when the fiends swept down, knocking her off her feet. Rikku and Paine did a double roll to dodge the blasts.

"You alright Yunie?" yelled over Rikku.

Yuna rubbed her head, "Yeah, don't worry about me!"

Paine wasted no time in counterattacking the fiends. With one jumping swing, she split both of them in half. Rikku went over to help Yuna up.

"I don't know about you," began Paine, "but fiends in Bevelle can't be good."

Yuna looked at Paine in confusion, "Why are they here? There's no way they're not known. New Yevon must be doing something with them."

"Do we really want to find out?"

Yuna paused for a moment. She didn't want to be here any more than Paine. Still, the force driving her to find Tidus kicked in. If they want to find this sphere, they would have to move forward.

"As much as I don't want to, we should still continue." she answered grayly.

Rikku and Paine nodded, and the three continued down the neon blue road. The fiends were numerous, but not particularly vicious. They were easily dispatched, only adding annoyance to their trip to the Bevelle underground.

Finally, they reached the end. This was the last room Yuna recognized. However, now there was an entrance to another place, even further underground than they were at currently. Yuna inhaled deeply, not wanting to discover what New Yevon could possibly be hiding. With a stern exhale, she opened the door, and nearly passed out in astonishment.

What the Gullwings expected to be another room ended up being a gigantic expanse. Before them was the sight of the Bevelle underground, a huge facility that seemed to dwarf any place they'd ever seen. The sound of machina in motion could be heard echoing throughout.

"What in Spira is all of this? I've never seen such a sight." gasped Paine.

"It's incredible. So this is what Yevon's been hiding all these years." commented Rikku, her eyes bulging out of their sockets.

Yuna looked at the two girls, "Well, this must be where the sphere is. Anyone brought a rope?"

But there was no time for jokes, as a shadow emerged from the darkness surrounding the area where they were. From behind the shadows came a shrewdly dressed young man. His spiky blond hair and green eye (a patch covered the other eye) easily made determinable he was Al-Bhed.

"G-Gippal?" stammered Yuna, barely getting the name out.

"Well, well..." he said, coming more into the light, "High Summoner Lady Yuna – it's a pleasure to meet you in such an odd place."

"What are you doing here?" Paine demanded to know.

"I should ask you the same thing. You know waltzing around Bevelle isn't good for your health." he cackled, taking a fighting posture.

"What's it to you!" yelled back Paine, also taking a fighting stance.

"Fa'na rana du knyp y sphere. Kad uid uv uin fyo! (We're here to grab a sphere. Get out of our way!)" Rikku snapped.

"Bevelle holds many secrets, some more dangerous than others." he said starkly, holding his stance.

"We understand risks, Gippal," answered Yuna, "but that's not of your concern."

"It is if all of Spira could be affected by what you're about to do."

Yuna looked puzzlingly at him, "What do you mean?"

"I already know why you guys are down in the basement of Bevelle – Vegnagun. But I know a lot more about this situation than you guys."

"We know of Vegnagun, but it's a sphere we're here to claim." clamored Rikku, giving Gippal a sharp gaze.

"Look, Lady Yuna...don't make everything you've done in the past for naught," Gippal said in a calmer voice, facing directly at Yuna, "things down here a far too instable for you to mess with. Trust me, turn back and let me handle things."

Yuna looked directly into his eyes, starring with complete intent for an uncomfortable moment. She blinked, and let out a shallow sigh.

"Alright Gippal, I believe you. C'mon, we're leaving."

Both Paine and Rikku instantly bore faces of complete shock.

"A-are you sure, Yuna?" stammered Paine, still in disbelief of Yuna's sudden change.

Yuna simply nodded, and motioned for the girls to follow her. They paused to look at each other's bewilderment, then nodded as well.

"Over there," began Gippal, pointing to an opening in the opposite area, "a lift to the surface is. Use it to leave."

Without even acknowledging him, Yuna turned and headed towards the lift. Rikku and Paine followed suit. They entered the lift, and left for the surface without a word spoken. They only got a glimpse of Gippal, who jumped onto one of the large steel chains connected to the center complex and surfed down the chain towards it. Yuna looked palely at the floor the entire ride up.

After a few awkward minutes, they arrived at the surface. They ended up in a back alley on the outskirts of Bevelle.

"Brother, we're done here. Come pick us up." said Yuna blandly into her Commsphere.

A muttered buzzing sound replied, "That was quick. Did you find the sphere."

Yuna growled, "No...we'll talk about it later."

"Oh...ok, we are coming now."

The Gullwings walked to the edge of Macalania, where they were met by the Celsius. Rikku and Paine, while upset at Yuna for turning tail so quickly, hadn't the heart to say anything. The girls all went their separate ways upon entering the Celsius, disappointed by their day's failure...

"It isn't nice to ruin surprises." laughed a black figure from the shadows of Bevelle's underground.

Gippal hopped off the ledge he had been standing on. He huffed at the figure, and approached him brazenly.

"Vegnagun...where is it Baralai?" he shouted angrily.

"Hmph, if it's that you want, I may have to use the Gullwing's surprise on you." he said, while snapping his fingers.

Two gigantic machina appeared from the complex, with a huge fist on one side, and a rather large gun on the other. Gippal stood his ground, and prepared himself for the inevitable fight to begin.

* * *

_**Next Chapter: **Further disappointment greet the girls when the LeBlanc gang pays them a visit. It's clothes and not spheres the girls end up chasing for. However, Gippal wishes he could go clothes hunting rather than battle with Bevelle's machina. _


	8. Chapter 8 – Will the Nightmares Ever End...

**Chapter 8 – Will the Nightmares Ever End?**

_In this chapter, there are a pair of dream sequences. Because they are fairly important (and dramatic!), I've writ them all in italics (was gonna make them blue, but didn't realize doesn't support color). I'll do this for any dream/flashback sequence from now on._

**Note (3/27/05):** I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

Rays of heat cast warmth across the top of the Celsius. A sunning Al Bhed girl was absorbing a great deal of them. In her cute yellow bikini, she lay on her back, attempting to get as smooth a tan as possible. She was amazed at how good the deck of the Celsius made as a tanning bed. Even when traveling handily over Spira's seas, she could still catch a few rays.

Paine stood calmly gazing over Shinra's shoulder. He was showing her all the cool things he could do with his new technology. Especially this new idea of "networking Commspheres" all over Spira in some sort of voyeuristic fashion. Still, for some reason, she found the concept interesting. If anything, she had nothing better to bide her time with. At least Brother would chime in with an idiotic comment every now and then.

Even with such a beautiful day in action, the out-of-character lazy Yuna snoozed away in her bed. Her eyes twitched rapidly, as she unconsciously rolled around, occasionally flaring out her arms.

_Inside her mind, an image of her running perpetually down an unending corridor with Tidus tormented her. She was so confused – what was she running from? She almost lost her pace with him. Losing him was not an option, no matter what. Finally, she reached the end of the corridor. Sounds of soldiers' footsteps were nearing, but they faced a dead end. Only the terrifying face of a gigantic machina could be seen. She became hazy, and fell into Tidus' arms. He embraced her tightly, not wanting to admit the situation was hopeless._

_The guards appeared into sight, aiming their guns directly at the two. Tidus' grip grew firmer – Yuna looked into the barrels of the guns. The gunners fired, and she could feel their bullets rip through her body. She cringed in pain, as if her soul had been shattered. The vision blurred, but she could still see Tidus fall to the ground with her. As she faded away, a tear drop fell from her eye._

_When she faded back in, she saw nothing but darkness. She rose to her feet, frantically looking around for Tidus. Suddenly she spotted him. He was suspended from the darkness, tied together by chains. She tried to run to him, but found her body paralyzed. The best she could do was emit a feeble squeak from her lips. Tidus' eyes opened, and he gave her a tearful smile. He began to drift away into the darkness._

_He said, in a whisper, "...sing for me, just one more time..."_

With a horrifying shriek, Yuna awoke from her nightmare, sitting up stiff in her bed. Rubbing her reddened forehead, she tried to slow her heavy breathing. Again, she's had this same nightmare. Ever since the Gullwings failed to discover the sphere in Bevelle, she's been tormented by this.

It appeared no one was in the cabin with her, so she hadn't scared the living daylights out of someone today. She wiped away the tears that had formed from her eyes. Sighing solemnly, she struggled to rid her mind of those horrid images. But, to her, they seemed almost like memories. She knew they weren't – it was just a dream. Nevertheless, she felt a thousand years of sadness quelling inside her heart.

Above on the bridge, Paine, Rikku, Brother, and Buddy were having a pow-wow. Shinra had discovered a multitude of sphere signals. Now it was necessary to decide which one they would go for first. Would it be Zanarkand, Kilika, or Guadosalam?

Paine automatically ruled out Zanarkand. Yuna was in no condition to be traipsing around there, regurgitating up old ghosts. Rikku wholeheartedly agreed. Buddy shot down the idea of hunting in Kilika. With tensions between New Yevon and the Youth League ready to burst, they didn't want to get mixed up in the chaos that was rising once again there. Brother nodded, and said something dirty about the way they were first treated there in Al Bhed. So, Guadosalam it was.

Yuna entered the bridge, trying to look cheerful. Brother informed her that they would be heading to Guadosalam to check out some sphere signals. Yuna nodded, hiding her distaste for going back to sphere hunting so soon.

Somehow, her disdain spread, especially when they came up with nothing in Guadosalam. The girls searched around for hours, asking everyone in the town. Well, except LeBlanc, who wasn't home. Even Brother, Buddy, and Shinra got in on the action. They talked to every Hypello that worked for Tolbi there. For some reason, that didn't turn up any results.

"This has to be the stupidest idea you've ever had Brother." growled Buddy, tired of listening to babbling Hypello.

"Sorry, it seemed like a good idea." Brother whined, defending himself.

"That automatically makes it a bad idea." smacked Shinra, handing Brother a low blow.

"Frydajan...E's kuehk pylg du dra Celsius. (Whatever...I'm going back to the Celsius.)" pouted Brother, sulking his way back to the airship.

"What a waste of time. That shop keeper gave us the crappiest info," complained Rikku, following Paine and Yuna back to the airship, "let's get outta here."

A buzzing sound fired from Yuna's Commsphere, "Yuna, are you there? Come quick, we've been robbed!"

"What do you mean?" a startled Yuna replied.

A more sensible voice came across the Commsphere, "Buddy here...it seems we were paid a visit by LeBlanc and her goons."

"Huh! You're kidding?" yelped Rikku.

"Afraid not – she came away with that half-sphere we found before."

Yuna looked sternly at Paine, who read her mind exactly.

"We're on our way back," stated Yuna angrily, "then we can talk about taking our sphere back."

Back on the Celsius, the Gullwings were greeted by Buddy and Shinra – with a little gift from LeBlanc. Buddy played the oh so cute message LeBlanc was so kind to give them. The Gullwings sure weren't gonna take this lying down.

"Alright, we take our sphere back!" yelled Yuna, busting out a cool pose.

"Sure, but how?" asked Paine, using her keenness to keep her senses in check.

"Umm..."

Suddenly, Rikku broke out her famous warrior pose, "We'll sneak in. All we need is some syndicate uniforms and we are set!"

"And how do you propose we do that, Rikku?" questioned Paine, shaking her head.

"Why don't we just...nab some? I sure LeBlanc has her members all across Spira looking for spheres. All we need is three." answered Yuna, smacking her fist into her open hand.

"Yeah!" shouted Brother, twirling his arms about, "that's a great idea Yuna. It's decided, we're off to steal some clothes!"

The Gullwings, minus Rikku, all marched to their positions. Rikku pouted with a mean expression on her face.

"Hey, that was my idea!"

The first place they went to look was along the Mushroom Rock Road. Through the grapevine, Shinra heard LeBlanc has some of her gang searching for spheres there. Upon arriving, the Gullwings were greeted by Clasko, glum as always. Yuna lost no time in asking him if he knew anything about the LeBlanc Syndicate.

He paused to scratch his head, then answered, "Well...I think they hijacked the hovercraft from the Al Bhed people down the road. Maybe you want to check that out."

Yuna smiled and waved goodbye, once again wasting no time in hunting for uniforms. Sure enough, just down the road, two of LeBlanc's goons were standing next to the hovercraft guy. The girls approached them with determination. Seeing them approach, one of the goons wiggled at them tauntingly.

"Look, it's the Dullwings!" he laughed.

The other one continued the foolery, "Sorry, no hovercraft for you, we're renting it for LeBlanc's mission. Tough luck Dullwings!"

Rikku clamored something extremely offensive at them in Al Bhed, as the hovercraft owner turned ten shades of red from her comment. Paine crossed her arms, and stomped her foot into the ground, kicking up a nice cloud of dirt. Yuna wasn't much happier. However, she did spot two of LeBlanc's female goons running by them in the opposite direction.

"Oh man, I can't believe you lost it! LeBlanc is gonna give us the boot!" the one female goon complained to the other.

"I didn't lose it...I just misplaced it," the other one stated, "it must be down here somewhere."

Yuna smiled to Paine, who immediately smiled back. Rikku chimed in with a big goofy grin of her own.

"Why don't we go find that sphere of their's first!" exclaimed Yuna.

No reply was needed, as the girls darted off in the direction of the female goons. They searched along both sides of the road. Rikku turned over about every rock there was. The girls were getting frustrated until Yuna stumbled over something kind of big – almost tripping her into a face plant. But, low and behold, it happened to be a golden, shiny sphere.

Yuna knelt down and picked it up, examining it with glee. Paine patted Yuna on the back for doing such nice detective work. Meanwhile, Rikku was doing her famous little victory strut.

"Cluna uha vun dra Gullwings! (Score one for the Gullwings!)"

The party didn't last, as a very wide figure and a very tall figure closed in on the girls. The wide one was hopping around frantically, holding his hands to his head in some odd form of distress. The tall one smacked him in the back of the head, scolding him for being such a moron. Finally they noticed the Gullwings, who were gawking at them in laughter.

"Uh, ahem!..," stammered Logos, trying to save face for acting like an idiot, "Well, well, well – if it isn't the Dullwings. What are you-"

"Have you guys seen a sphere lying around the road somewhere. I gotta find it!" screamed Ormi.

Logos rubbed his face with disbelief of Ormi's stupidity.

"Don't be such a fool! Can't you see they have it right there?" Logos barked, pointing at the sphere Yuna was holding.

"Oh good, you found my sphere..." began Ormi, "but, you're not gonna give it back."

Ormi began to sulk and turn away. Logos shook his head and grabbed him by the arm and jerk him around.

"Look stupid, if they won't give us back the sphere, we'll take it by force." he declared mischievously.

"Huh? Oh right!" Ormi said as he charged the girls.

Logos started shooting at Rikku. Nimble as ever, Rikku dodged his misguided aiming, and stuck out her tongue at him. Ormi attempted a mad rush at Yuna. Instead, he tripped over his own two feet and fell flat on his face. Paine sprinted over to where Logos was shooting from, and took a huge swipe at him with her sword. He barely dodged it, nearly having his private parts severed from his body permanently. In his haste, he toppled over Ormi, who was rolling on the ground like a hog in the mud.

Paine, disgusted by their pitifulness, approached the pair of klutzes, and pointed the tip of her sword at their heads. All either of them could do was look up and put on their best pity-face.

"C'mon Yuna, I think it's time to head back to the Celsius." she chuckled, grinning at Ormi and Logos.

"You about done Rikku?" asked Yuna over to a large crevice in the rock.

"Good to go!" she proclaimed, giving her a thumbs up.

In her hand was a genuine LeBlanc Syndicate uniform. A half-naked woman ran crying from the crevice where Rikku just was. Ormi and Logos were too busy picking their prideless bodies up off the ground to notice. The girls skipped off back home, giggling all the way.

Cheers all around were heard on the Celsius. It was a quick third of the way through their mission, plus they got a new sphere. It seemed the Gullwings were back on track, or at least that was what Brother asseverated. After a night of joyful celebration, it was time for bed. The girls could only laugh so long at Barkeep's sad attempt of juggling and drinking. The night outside was overcast, providing no night-light for them.

_Yuna protruded into her world of dreams. At first, she lay peacefully in sleep. On the tranquil beach of Besaid, she sat with Tidus, sharing a small basket of food. In his arms she lay, enjoying the caressing motion of his hand through her hair. She could hear a whispery song flutter in the air. The sea, sky, sand – all of Spira was calm. For once, even if but a dream, she could smile in peace._

_But, from the distance, a black fog approached them. Out of the muddled sea shuttered a gigantic beast, gushing blackened water all over them. The two were swept from their feet by the wave. Tidus grabbed Yuna's arm, and raised her to her feet. They began to run inland. But the gigantic hand of the beast grappled Tidus up from the ground. Yuna screamed, now finding herself in the den of the beast._

* * *

_**Next chapter: **The next chapter is relatively short. Yuna completes her nightmare. She is visited by a strange woman, who comforts her. Yet, she is still no closer in ending her string of bad dreams._


	9. Chapter 9 – The Dream Isn't Over Yet

**Chapter 9 – The Dream Isn't Over Yet**

**Note (3/27/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

_Standing before Yuna was the sight of the huge machina, the same as in her other dream. Could it be that this is Vegnagun? She bellowed as she saw Tidus dangling from chains, floating in the darkness next to the machina. Sounds of footsteps could be heard racing towards her. She snapped herself around, and saw her friends standing in front of her._

_"Why don't you let him go?" asked Lulu sternly._

_"Don't you know it's better that way?" scolded Wakka, with his arms on his hips._

_Yuna was already in a panicked state as it was. Now, she heard the words she never wanted to hear. Words she could never accept – ever. Not words she wanted to hear from people she beheld so deeply – people she loved and cherished._

_"B-but, I love him. I don't w-want to let him go!" she shouted, tears rolling down her eyes._

_"Aw, c'mon Yunie. You should move on." chimed in Rikku, looking goofily at Yuna._

_"You live in the past too much. You'll only hurt more if you keep it up. I thought you would know better!" growled Paine harshly._

_Yuna fell to her knees, covering her ears tightly with clenched fists. She cried uncontrollably, screaming out in rage. But now she was cursing at the darkness, as the place where she was disappeared. Now there was only a void._

_Footsteps again sounded from someplace unknown. This time, it was only one person, walking gently towards her. Wiping away her tears, Yuna looked up, and saw a blurry figure standing before her. A beam of light dawned upon the figure, a woman._

_The woman looked deeply into Yuna's eyes, shining the grandest smile she had ever seen. The woman embraced Yuna's face with her hands. Her flowing brown hair wrapped around her body._

_"T-they say I should f-forget," Yuna chocked, "but h-how can I? I love..." _

_"Shh..." calmed the woman, kissing Yuna on the forehead, "Don't you worry, because I'll come back."_

_The woman wiped away the last tear from Yuna's eye. For some reason, her smile, her eyes – her words...they embraced her with a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time. If only she knew what it was. She wanted to ask more, and she didn't want to wait. Still, she couldn't speak, but only watch as the woman walked away into the abyss. Then, she suddenly paused, turning around one last time._

_"Be strong...follow what's in your heart, for both our sakes. The dream isn't over yet..." she said, fading away into the darkness._

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Yuna awakes from her nightmare. Not sure of what to make of it, she swallows her confusion, and finishes "liberating" uniforms for their infiltration of LeBlanc's mansion. And, as fate may have it, the Gullwings end up back in Bevelle – but not without a twist!_


	10. Chapter 10 – Distant Early Warning

**Chapter 10 – Distant Early Warning**

**Note (3/27/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

Opening her tear-filled eyes into reality, Yuna looked over across from her. Rikku was still snug in bed, as was Paine to her other side. The sun had yet to glimmer of a new day, it was still nighttime. Yuna rubbed her eyes, which stung from being swollen with tears. She got out of bed, and walked downstairs. She took the lift to the deck, where she sat – thinking.

Not knowing what to make of such a hideous nightmare, she curled up, trying to calm herself. She was fed up with being tormented by these damnable images that invaded her sleep. But, what aggravated her the most, was that woman. Clamping her eyes hard, she attempted to remember the woman's face. She appeared so familiar, as if Yuna had known her for a thousand years. Yet, try as she might, only a blurry memory of the woman remained.

A new day rose from the horizon, as the sun peeked its light over the Celsius. A few birds chirped as they flew around the airship. Yuna sighed, giving up on dwelling on her dream. All it did was antagonize her, so she found no point on continuing this insanity.

On the bridge, Buddy was already up bright and early. Yuna entered, surprised to find someone was awake this early in the morning.

"Good morning Buddy," she greeted, stepping down off the bridge's platform, "you're certainly up early."

Buddy turned his head around to see who was talking to him. He was equally surprised to find someone up at the crack of dawn like he was.

"Yuna, morning. I didn't expect anyone to be awake this early either."

"Couldn't sleep I guess..." she said with a melancholy chuckle.

"Well, since you're here, I guess I tell you about why I'm out of bed so stinkin' early." he grumbled, happy to make use of his early-morning work.

Yuna approached his console. On his screen was a map of sphere signal locations. They seemed to be color coded – either blue, orange, or red.

"I compiled this map from data Shinra gave me," Buddy began to explain, "These are all sphere locales."

Yuna nodded her head and asked, "But, what do the colors mean?"

Buddy smiled, "I'm glad you asked. The colors are for how dangerous these locations are. Blue means they aren't very dangerous, like Moonflow here. Orange means there is some hostility in the area, like Kilika, or there are some nasty fiends, such as in the Calm Lands. And finally, red means that there is a lot of risk involved, like that sphere in Bevelle."

"Wow," said Yuna pleasantly, "you've put a lot of work into this. Thanks."

"Hey no problem Yuna. This is also a good _visual_ way of explaining to Brother why racing off to a certain area might not be such a good idea." he laughed.

"What do you mean I need a visual explaining?" shouted a voice from behind.

The angry face of Brother peered at Buddy. He stomped his way down to the two, snorting and shaking his fists like he was diseased.

"He was only joking Brother." Yuna remarked, attempting to quell his little fit of rage.

"Joking, there is no joke here. Just an under appreciated Brother that is all." he pouted.

Buddy chuckled, "Under appreciated? Just who was it that ate the most cake last night, and then went to bed first?"

"I was quite hungry," Brother exclaimed, while twitching out, "and all the sugar made me quite tired...fyed, fro ys E aqbmyehehk socamv rana! (wait, why am I explaining myself here!)"

Yuna and Buddy began laughing hysterically at the sight of Brother's temper tantrum. He finally realized he wasn't helping his situation, and slumped into his "driver's seat." They were soon joined by Paine and Rikku.

"Since it seems we are all here, let us go uniform hunting again." declared Brother, to the interest of no one.

He clamored something asinine in Al Bhed and once again delivered his order, "Ahem! As I said, since we are all here..."

"Yeah, yeah we here ya. Where are we going to look now?" grumbled Paine, who wasn't much of a friendly morning person.

"Umm...I do not know..." Brother whimpered, just now realizing he had no idea where they should go.

"Well, I do remember a Hypello or two back in Guadosalam mentioning something about there being some LeBlanc goons in Bikanel. Why don't we go check there?" suggested Shinra, who was watching Brother from over his chair.

Brother and Buddy shrugged to each other. And so it was clear, the Gullwings were off to the sandy deserts of Bikanel. Yuna wanted to do a little digging while she was there, Rikku was back in (sort of) familiar territory, and Paine just wanted to stay cool.

The girls left from the Celsius and walked to the Machine Faction's campsite, hoping to find a good clue or two. Of course, Nhadala immediately begged for Yuna to go digging. However, after a nudge in the side by Rikku, she politely turned down the offer.

"Sorry I can't help," she apologized, but continued, "we're actually wondering if you've seen anyone from LeBlanc's group around."

Nhadala thought to herself for a moment, "Hmm...oh that's right! There was some weird people snooping around the Oasis. Could you go check it out for me...they might be LeBlanc."

Yuna nodded, "Sure, we'll check it out."

To the sweltering desert the Gullwings went. Fiery beams of sun roasted down upon them. It figured, at least to Paine, that she'd end up spending the day wiping beads of sweat from her face. Luckily, the place where Pilot stopped wasn't far from the Oasis. By the time the girls approached it, they could make out two clumsy looking figures prancing about. There clothes were pink and purplish, with the all too familiar LeBlanc logo on them.

"Awesome, they really are LeBlanc's goons!" exclaimed an overjoyed Rikku.

"What in Spira could they be doing all the way out here?" wondered Yuna.

Paine grabbed Yuna by the shoulder, "Who cares. Let's just steal those uniforms and get out of here."

Yuna nodded, and motioned for Rikku to hide behind a palm tree. The two goons weren't really paying attention anyway, as they were too preoccupied with digging in the sand. Rikku leaped from behind a palm tree and tackled one of the goons to the ground. Yuna and Paine pounced on the other one, wrestling her to the ground. In short order, the two goons were wandering the desert with skimpy attire.

"Ha ha! That was too easy!" shouted a victorious Rikku.

"Who'd figure it would be this easy." chuckled a smug Paine.

The triumphant trio returned proudly to the Celsius, bearing two tacky uniforms as their trophies. It wasn't much of a spectacle, but they had better things to do. Immediately they flew to Guadosalam, the taste of spheres in their mouths. This feeling was quickly stifled when they put on LeBlanc's stuffy uniforms. Still, they had no choice but to deal with them. Upon approaching LeBlanc's mansion, they were stopped by two stalky-looking guards. The girls stood in front of them, looking goofy.

"Reporting for duty!" they exclaimed in tandem.

"Uhh...ok. Keep up the enthusiasm." one of the goons said, not sure what to make of them.

Upon entering, they walked into a room in the back. A pair of voices could be heard echoing from the back of the room. The girls tiptoed in, careful not to make a sound, even if they were in uniform.

"Argh! These door panels never seem to work right." grumbled a tall, skinny Logos.

"I told LeBlanc we shouldn't use cheap parts from that Shinra Corporation." shrugged a fat n' round Ormi.

On the Celsius, Shinra shook his head at the terribly corny allusion. Back in LeBlanc's mansion, Logos and Ormi continued to complain. Logos turned around, spotting the girls clumped together in the corner.

"You there..." he began, startling the girls.

"Um, y-yes sir." Yuna bumbled out, along with a bad salute.

"Figure out how to fix this. I'm tired of messing with the stupid thing. We need to go check on how LeBlanc's doing." Logos commanded, to the relief of the girls.

"Huh? What's wrong with LeBlanc?" asked Rikku.

"The Boss is all depressed because Nooj has disappeared." explained Ormi, gesturing his arms in distress.

"Yes, the Boss is truly obsessed with this Nooj character. I'm fearful that at this rate, she may quit sphere hunting all together." sighed Logos.

"Man, that must be hard on you guys." comforted Rikku, semi-sarcastically.

"If only she knew..." Logos sighed again, clenching his head.

Ormi and Logos then left the room, leaving the girls to enact their deviance. However, they had the same problem in figuring out how to work the control panel as Ormi and Logos were. Rikku, getting frustrated, leaned up against the wall.

"This is gonna take all...ahh!" she bellowed.

The wall began to turn, revealing a secret passageway. Rikku fell down the stairway that was behind.

"Are you alright Rikku?" questioned Yuna, running after the tumbling Rikku.

"Oww...so rayt... (my head...)"

"Your head's thick enough. Let's go find that sphere. But first..." said Paine, removing the helmet of her uniform, "let's change into something more comfortable – not to mention stylish."

The girls wholeheartedly agreed, and ditch their tacky uniforms. Heading through the underground chamber, they approached what seemed to be a bed room. The door wasn't locked, so they decided to enter. The girls started searching for a sphere throughout the room.

Paine looked in a chest near the door, put just found a bottle of potion. Rikku checked under the bed, but only found some nudie magazines.

"Hey look Yuna, its _Summoner's Gone Wild_. Maybe you should be in this!" teased Rikku, flashing the magazine's centerfold at Yuna.

"Very funny...hey, put that away! Of all the..." yelled Yuna once she realized what the magazine was.

Yuna went back to hunting for a sphere. She peeked into a dress drawer. In the top drawer, she found half a sphere.

"Here it is, our sphere piece." she said happily.

Suddenly, a disgruntled voice sounded from the doorway, "You know, it isn't nice to scour through other people's rooms."

A very angry Logos stood leaning against the doorway, with Ormi trotting up next to him. Paine reached back for her sword.

"There's no need to be hasty. We aren't here to fight." Logos said, not wanting to upset the short-fused Paine.

Yuna turned to face Logos, holding out a broken half-sphere.

"What's on this." she asked sternly.

"We're not sure ourselves. We haven't taken a look yet." he responded decisively.

"Too busy lookin' at this?" chimed in a cheeky Rikku, waving Logos' magazine around.

He darted over and grabbed the magazine out of Rikku's hands, "I don't know what you're talking about. Ormi, give Yuna the other part of the sphere. We'll watch it together."

Ormi bumbled across the room and handed Yuna the other sphere piece. She clasped the two halves together, and began playing the video. An image of a man in a cage appeared from the sphere. The image was fuzzy and distorted, showing the signs of ages of degradation. Yuna gazed with full intent at the image of the man. Could it be him, she thought in her mind. The man was arguing with a guard. The guard wondered why Zanarkand wouldn't stop this war. Slamming his fists on the cage wall, the man shouted at the guard, blaming Bevelle for what was happening. Still yelling, he went on to tell the guard that it will be over all too soon. Then he turned around, his mood instantly turned to melancholy. He whimpered something out, and sat down in the cage, curling up into a ball.

"It's amazing what Bevelle is hiding under their streets, isn't it loves?" boomed a familiar voice out of nowhere.

"Boss, your done sulking...I mean, you're feeling better." stammered Ormi, hoping up an down joyously.

LeBlanc nodded, "Well, I got to thinking. If my Noojie-Woojie is out searching for spheres, he's obviously going to need my help."

"Uh...right Boss." agreed Logos, smiling half heartily.

LeBlanc turned to the girls, "I don't know about you girls, but I certainly don't want those nutty Yevonites to have a machina like Vegnagun sitting in their basement."

"Obviously no one wants that," Paine put it satirically, "so how do you suppose we go about defeating them?"

A evil smile crawled across LeBlanc's lips, "Easy love, we hit them head on."

"Uhh..." murmured Rikku.

However, it was too late for anyone to react. LeBlanc, with Logos and Ormi in tow, raced out of the room and were on their way out of there.

"We'll meet you on that airship of your," yelled LeBlanc, so kindly inviting herself, "then we'll talk about battle plans!"

Paine looked at Rikku, Rikku looked at Yuna. Yuna just looked like she was hit by a hovercraft. A collective sigh was released, and the girls strolled back to the Celsius. Paine argued for a moment about backing out of LeBlanc's crazy idea. Nonetheless, she stopped quickly when she realized is was too late for that.

Aboard the Celsius, Brother was fuming at LeBlanc for handing out orders to him. Logos told him to shut up and get ready for takeoff. Brother, having all he could take, began running around the bridge shouting explicit remarks in Al Bhed about Logos' mother. It was something to the tune of a metal pipe, a dark hole, and a fat Hypello. All the while, Shinra was holding his ears immensely, blocking out Brother's wild profanity.

The girls entered, luckily, at this point. Brother jumped for joy, and asked Yuna to kick LeBlanc off the airship.

"Sorry Brother, we kind of need them. We're going back to Bevelle." she explained.

"What-! You can't being serious Yuna?" he shrieked, "Why do we need these cdibet eteudc (stupid idiots) here anyway."

Yuna pointed sternly at Brother, "Look Brother, I'll explain later...just get us to Bevelle."

"Ok Yuna, but I do this only for you..." he sighed, turning back to his big chair.

The voyage there was more than interesting. Truly it was entertaining, with constant bickering between Brother and LeBlanc. Getting a headache from all this, Yuna eventually headed down to the cabin to take a rest. Bevelle was not on the top of her list of places she wanted to go. But she tried not to think about it.

_She closed her eyes, only to rest them. Almost as quickly as she laid down, she fell asleep. Images began forming in the recesses of her mind. Outside Bevelle, in what appeared to be the Macalania Forest, she stood. A cloud of swirling gray fog hovered about her legs. _

_As impossible as it could be in reality, she saw him – Tidus, walking into the New Yevon Headquarters. She called out to him, but he couldn't hear. Not to be left behind, she began racing after him. A guard outside the city limits told her to stop, but her legs didn't hesitate. Down the long, long corridor she ran, as fast as she could, to the gate of the temple. Suddenly, a large machina hovered in front of her._

_It wielded twin cannons, which could disintegrate a normal person. She drew out her guns, and began firing at it. Emptying all her shots, the machina fell to the ground with a deafening crash. She reloaded her guns in case of more attacks. Now, an aura of raw determination began raging in her blood._

_The gate opened, and a guard ran out, taking a potshot of Yuna. She dodged, and clenched her guns tightly in indignation. She became overwhelmed with fury. In cold blood, she shot the guard twice in the skull, splattering red blood on the gate behind._

_She now entered the temple, still running full tilt. The hallway inside the temple seemed endless. In the far distance, she spotted Tidus, who was also running down the hall. In that instant, she found herself in his arms. A large, cavernous room encircled them. She looked around, finding a gigantic hole in the wall, with pyreflies swarming out from it. She had not the time to analyze it, once the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the room._

_A dozen guards ran into the room, guns aimed at them. Yuna looked over at Tidus, tears running off her cheeks. She started to run over to him for one last embrace. Shots rang out, hitting Tidus for what seemed to be an innumerable amount of times. The impact knocked him off the platform they were standing on. Yuna ran to the edge, screaming as she watched his body fall in the dark abyss._

Yuna gasped, as she smacked the floor. Regaining her senses, she realized that she only fell out of bed. She knelt up to the bed, grabbing the pillow from off the floor. She smothered her face into it, muffling her horrid moaning and crying. And there she knelt for a couple of minutes, doing nothing but sobbing uncontrollably.

Now the nightmares were affecting her worse than before. Each one progressively ate into her soul that much more. Feeling so dark, so abysmal – they seemed not to be her own, yet she knew them to be so close. Her recovery was ephemeral, as Brother's voice sounded over the intercom; they had reached Bevelle.

The Gullwings and LeBlanc walked to the long corridor leading up to the gate of the New Yevon Headquarters. Paine noted that she still wasn't sure how they were going to take out Vegnagun.

"You got any ideas LeBlanc?" Paine asked, standing arms folded.

"Of course...we attack those Yevonites head on, and destroy Vegnagun. There's no reason to beat around the bush." she replied boldly, to the delight of her two goons.

Yuna nodded as well, "Sounds as good as any plan. We need to take care of this menace before it starts hurting Spira."

A large crash shook them out of their planning, as the sight of Yevon guards and a monstrous machina rapidly approached them.

"You, stop there!" one of the guards yelled, "what are you doing here?"

"Well, you guys have got the front. See ya later loves!" said LeBlanc, turning tail along with Logos and Ormi.

Rikku grabbed her head, "Argh! You've got to be kidding me!"

"Heh...we've got no choice guys," spoke Paine, pointing her sword at the Yevon guards, "let's attack!"

* * *

_**Next Chapter: **It's a grand showdown for the Gullwings as they must bust their way into the belly of Bevelle. Mysteries profound, the girls discover there is more to this situation than meets the eye. _


	11. Chapter 11 – Never Thought I'd See the L...

**Chapter 11 – Never Thought I'd See the Light of Day Again**

**Note (3/28/05):** I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

The girls rushed towards the guards. Paine lunged at the machina weapon, cleanly slicing off one of its arms. Yuna began shooting at the guards, hitting one in the leg. The other three started retreating after seeing Paine dispose of their machina so easily. Yuna led Rikku and Paine quickly down the corridor and through the gate.

Approaching New Yevon Headquarters was easy. With all the chaos happening recently between New Yevon and the Youth League, they had to fortify their other positions, such as Kilika. This left Bevelle rather empty-handed. And because they had just broke into the Bevelle underground not too long ago, they knew the path precisely.

They ran by some priests who were trampling around in dismay. They took the lift down, and waltzed through the temple maze. Only a short time ago, Gippal had confronted them here, in this very cavern under Bevelle. Yuna wondered now what had happened to Gippal. She pictured him gliding down the monstrous steel chains connected to the center installation.

"Well, if Gippal did it, we can too!" Yuna declared, hopping onto a chain.

Rikku was all too excited to follow Yuna's lead. But surprisingly, Paine was already sliding down ahead of them. Once they all safely landed, Yuna huddled the girls together.

"Hey, we made it farther than last time." noted Rikku delightedly.

"Don't start celebrating yet," Paine gruffed, giving her a little nudge, "I'm sure we have a long way to go."

"Right," continued Yuna, "we have no idea what lies ahead. Be prepared for anything."

They came upon a number of security towers. Concerned, Yuna hesitated to move onto the platform. There must be some way to disable them, she thought to herself. Then she realized – the last time they were here, she remembered reading on a monitor that you must access the blue-coded towers to disable the security.

"I got it," she proclaimed, turning to Rikku, "go to all the towers lighted blue and access the security there to disable it."

"No problem!" roared an over dramatic Rikku.

She nimbly ran over to the first tower. Yuna was bitting her lip while Rikku hacked away at the tower's console. Paine was expecting a gigantic fiend to pop out and eat Rikku. The thought almost made her chuckle a little. Instead, all that happened was a platform to the lower level moved. Rikku then progressed two towers down, and repeated the process. Once more, a second platform moved into position. Only one more left.

Rikku scampered clear over to the other side of where Yuna and Paine were. They could no longer tell if Rikku was going to the right tower or not.

"Hey, make sure you don't screw up." Paine shouted over, getting a bit nervous.

Rikku waved her hand, "Bah...don't worry Doctor P. I'll have us down there in a jiffy!"

"Don't call me that!" she barked angrily.

Rikku strutted up to the tower and started hammering keys on the console. Except this time, when she was finished, a platform didn't move. Instead she heard a dozen or so clicks, followed by a ferocious roar. Rising up from the pit came a savage beast.

"Precept Guard!" Paine bellowed at Rikku, "watch out Rikku!"

Rikku didn't need to be told. She was already half way back to Paine and Yuna before Paine was done yelling. The gigantic fiend lunged its fist at the ground behind Rikku, knocking her into the air. She flew face first into Paine and Yuna, making a nice sequence of grunts and thumps.

The fiend began charging up for a magic attack. Yuna saw Rikku was lying unconscious from the fiend's punch. She dragged her up and shoved her into one of the security towers. From apparently out of nowhere, she then pulled out a special bracelet, and put it on her arm. Not a second too late, as the fiend shot an icy blast at her. A glowing blue forcefield surrounded her, nullifying the spell.

Paine ran around behind the fiend, trying to divert its attention away from Yuna and Rikku. She leaped into the air, slicing at its back. A pulsing roar bellowed from the beast as it turned around to swat at Paine. She barely dodged, cursing profusely at the oversized brute. The fiend growled, and again began charging up for a magic attack. Yuna ran over to Rikku, who was still unconscious. In one of her pouches, she took a rather large grenade.

"Paine – catch!" she yelled, throwing the grenade over to Paine.

Paine did a jumping grab, and pulled out the pin of the grenade with her teeth. She lobbed it at the fiend's face, and ran in the opposite direction. The grenade pinged off its head, and erupted in a glorious explosion. A huge cloud of black smoke followed. This allowed the Yuna to grab Rikku and carry her to the lower area. Paine followed, guarding Yuna's back.

Both of them hauled it down the corridor they entered until they were completely out of breathe. Yuna laid Rikku down, checking to see how bad her injuries were.

"She doesn't seem badly hurt," she said to Paine, who was also kneeling down, "but she's out cold."

"What should we do?" asked Paine, giving Yuna a bewildered look.

Yuna sighed, rubbing her head for a moment, "Well...we can't go back. That fiend will kill us for sure. The only thing we can really do is go forward through this place. Hopefully we can get out of here quickly."

Paine nodded, and picked up Rikku from the ground, cradling her gently in her arms. Rikku didn't appear hurt aside from the large gash on her forehead.

"At least she's quiet now." she thought to herself in a half-joking manner.

Yuna walked down the corridor, her guns clenched in her hands. She peeked around the corner carefully, but saw nothing. Motioning to Paine that all was clear, she walked down the next corridor. About half way down, they came to a small wall. Yuna climbed up first, having Paine pass Rikku to her.

For a while, they proceeded like this through the underground, not encountering any enemies. Finally, they reached a long, expansive room, most of which dropped into a pitch-black void beneath. Sounds of footsteps approached from down an adjoining corridor. Yuna held her breathe, readying her guns to shoot. From the corridor came a shockingly familiar face.

"Why do you come down here?" said a silvery-haired man.

Paine looked in dismay, nearly dropping Rikku's hapless body, "We're hear to destroy Vegnagun. Get out of the way Baralai!"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." he replied calmly.

"And why not – are you planning on using such a horrid thing for yourself?" asked Yuna irately.

He walked up to Yuna, standing but maybe a few inches away, "Because you do not understand what kind of creature Vegnagun is. The slightest bit of instability could trigger it into a frenzy. I wish neither to use it nor destroy it. Is that good enough for you?"

"Of course not," Paine fumed, "to allow such a machine of destruction to survive is crazy."

"I agree, we aren't leaving to we kill it." Yuna added, with equal frustration of Baralai's position.

He sighed heavily, and back away from Yuna, "I don't wish to fight you, but I vow I will protect Vegnagun. Besides...it seems Cid's daughter has been injured."

The girls gazed apprehensively at Baralai. They certainly wouldn't budge, and neither would he it seemed. Suddenly he reached out his hand. His muscles relaxed, and a solemn tranquility appeared in his eyes.

"Let me take her with me – I can give her medical attention. There's no use in getting her mixed up in this mess. If you wish to continue...I won't impede." he offered, his head bowed to the floor.

Paine was ready to burst at Baralai, but Yuna raised up her arm to stop her, and shook her head. For some reason, she felt she could trust him. Whether it was his calm demeanor, or mellow voice, she wasn't sure.

"Alright Baralai, please take good care of her. If anything..."

"Don't worry Lady Yuna, I would never do anything to harm her." he said soothingly.

Pausing for a moment, Paine wasn't keen on the idea of handing her unconscious friend over to Baralai. Years ago, she would trust her own life with him, and not think twice about it. Now it seemed, with Spira in such perilous chaos, she wasn't as trusting of old friends. With a soft sigh, she moved to him, and handed Rikku over.

"You better make sure she is well." she growled at him in an undertone, glaring raging fire into his eyes.

He left immediately down the other corridor, disappearing into the darkness. Yuna and Paine continued through Bevelle's underground. For hours they wandered through corridor after endless corridor. They began to suspect this entire place was cursed. Finally they reached one last corridor, which led to an enormous spherical cavern.

A large part of the wall was destroyed, spewing a multitude of pyreflies out from it. In the round platform connected to the corridor, stood three men. Yuna and Paine ran up to the doorway before the platform. Spying in, they saw Baralai standing with Gippal and Nooj. They tried to overhear what was going on.

"Alright Nooj, we're all here, So what's this about?" asked Gippal, pacing around.

"I believe you already know why we're here," Nooj began, "we're here because of Vegnagun. So Baralai, where is it?"

"Gone...it's gone." he said, almost inaudibly.

"What!" shouted Gippal, nearly falling over, "how could something that huge just vanish?"

Baralai shook his head, "It didn't just vanish. Something triggered its emotions, and made it go berserk. See that hole over there..."

He pointed over towards the hole surrounded with pyreflies. Gippal put his hands on his hips, shaking his head.

"Well, this can't be good..." he expressed brightly.

Nooj began limping around the platform, half-chuckling out loud. Baralai and Gippal turned to face him, wondering what could be laughable in this abominable situation.

"We are the harbingers of Spira's future. The decisions we make will profoundly effect and shape what will come. We should try and not make mistakes of the past." he announced, now limping closer to Baralai.

In an instant, he pointed the barrel of his gun to Baralai's head. Sadistically he laughed, soaking up the fear that emanated for Baralai's eyes. Images of the past surged to his conscious, ghosts of years ago resurfacing in an instant. Gippal froze, having no idea what to make of Nooj's sudden hostility.

"Hey – hey! What are you doing Nooj? Put that gun down!" he shouted, running up beside Nooj.

Nooj smirked, not paying attention to Gippal's tumultuous gesturing. He continued to speak brazenly, making little sense to neither Baralai and Gippal nor Yuna and Paine.

"I will enact my plans," he said, with the glow of pyreflies surrounding him, "for two years I've have been using this weak body."

Gippal raised his gun to Nooj, cringing at his thoughts of two years ago. But he wasn't about to let that happen again, no matter if Nooj was his friend or not. A burst of evil laughter came from Nooj, as the bluish glow of pyreflies shot into Baralai. He gasped in pain, grasping his heart tightly. Soon, it was Baralai who pointed his gun at Gippal.

The three were deadlocked in a triangle of sudden death. Gippal almost panicked, barely stopping himself from lodging bullets into Nooj's body. This time, it was Baralai who spoke heinously.

"I pray on those weak at heart. It is so easy to manipulate them – just like a marionette." he cackled.

Yuna had seen enough. She ran out screaming for the madness to stop. Paine tried to stop her, but it was too late. Baralai yelled something, and a gigantic fiend swooped out of the darkness at them. Paine jolted at it instinctively, and casted orbs of darkness from her body. She chocked as the dark orbs attack the fiend, damaging it severely. Yuna finished it off with a volley of bullets.

With the fiend dead, the girls turned around to confront the desperate situation. However, Baralai had disappeared along with Nooj and Gippal. Only a pair of spheres lay on the ground. With the situation evidently defused, Yuna thought they might as well watch them.

The first one had some distorted footage of the Crimson Squad. It was difficult to make out without Shinra's enhancements. But Paine did know that the man speaking was Maester Kinoc somehow. He was ordering two people to check the body count. Four soldiers were missing, and needed to be dealt with. After that, Yuna couldn't make out anything else.

She then clicked on the second sphere. Immediately she was surprised to see Vegnagun in the background. But this sphere wasn't a thousand years old. Instead, it looked to be almost new. A hazy image of Nooj appeared, his body swarmed with pyreflies. Next to him, was the image of Maester Kinoc. Yuna's jaw almost hit the floor. Kinoc was dead, how was he standing next to Nooj.

Kinoc's voice projected gratingly into the sphere, "I believe it is time to dispel of those who get in our way."

"I've waited a thousand long years for this. It has been far too long, hasn't it." Nooj said hauntingly.

The picture rose to a muffled shadow in the darkness. The cast of Vegnagun could be made out of the form. A dull red glow beamed from its eyes – staring into the void around it. A buzz shot from the sphere, and it began to spark. Yuna jumped from fright and dropped it on the ground. A little explosion blasted from it, and it was destroyed. The smell of burning deceit charred the air.

Saying not a word, Yuna and Paine just looked at each other, truly disbelieving what they just witnessed. A figure came up behind them. Paine nearly sliced its head off. It was a priest from the temple.

"Wait! Lady Yuna, I was ordered by Baralai to take you to the surface." he said quickly, hardly avoid Paine's death strike.

Paine peered at him precariously, "Is Rikku alright? Where is she!"

The old priest held up his hand to calm her down, "The Al Bhed girl is fine. I am to take you to her. Follow me..."

He motioned for the girls to follow him, and proceeded back the long corridor. Hesitantly, they proceeded as well, still suspicious of his intentions. After what just transpired, they weren't ready to trust anyone. At the end of the corridor, he began to run his hand on what appeared to be a blank wall. A low strum of gears pierced from behind the wall. Appearing was a door, which opened up to a lift.

The girls went with the priest up the lift, which led to the temple surface. He further led them up to the second floor of the temple. Down a highly decorative hallway, he led them to a green door. A small room held their spunky Al Bhed friend. She was sitting on the bed looking out the window.

"Rikku? - You're ok!" exclaimed Yuna happily.

"Yunie! Paine! Puo ys E kmyt du caa oui! (Boy am I glad to see you!)" she shouted, running over to give Yuna a big hug.

"You had us worried Rikku. Did they treat you alright?" asked Paine, smiling in relief.

"Baralai brought me up here. I know because I was going in and out of consciousness. Then a priest bandaged me," she explained, pointing to the wrappings on her forehead, "and they gave me some good food to eat."

Yuna and Paine shared equal relief and alleviation. Seeing that Rikku was fine, they hurried to exit the temple. Yuna commented on how much Bevelle sucked. Paine was more than happy to agree. At the exit of the temple, they passes two guard who seemed extremely distressed.

"He's missing? Are you sure?" the one guard said stressfully.

"Nobody knows where the Praetor went," the other guard replied in a huff, as they ran passed the Gullwings, "first Vegnagun, and now him!"

* * *

**_Next chapter:_**_ I'm taking a break from the action for a chapter. For those who might be curious as to what happened between Gippal and Baralai a few chapter ago, and also to what Rikku did while waiting for Yuna and Paine to return, you'll get to find out. Not only that, but what transpired between the two Al Bheds? Lot's of fun Rikku x Gippal next time!_


	12. Chapter 12 – What a Girl Does in Her Fre...

**Chapter 12 – What a Girl Does in Her Free Time**

**Note (3/28/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

Their escape from that horrible place now completed, the girls could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Brother, seeing the large bandage on his sister's head, nearly had a coronary when he saw her. Needless to say, it took a while to calm him down. Still, they would rather deal with a frantic Brother over Bevelle any day. Yuna gave Shinra the sphere they had, at least the one not burnt to a crisp, to see if he could analyze it.

The girls headed down to the cabin where Barkeep had a nice, refreshing meal made up for them. Relaxation – something they all desperately needed at this point was in order. Vegnagun could wait, they were hungry! Among many of Barkeep's talents was cooking. He made an excellent chef, to their satisfaction. Rikku said eating Barkeep's food was a lot better than the grub Brother made when she was a kid.

Yuna and Paine laughed, believing her story entirely. With the way Brother acts, he probably couldn't concentrate long enough to made instant pudding, let alone a decent meal.

"So Rikku, what happened to you while we were still under Bevelle?" asked Yuna curiously.

Rikku paused for a moment, finishing what was in her mouth, "Well, it's like I told you. For a while I was going in and out, and Baralai had taken me to that room in the temple."

"Yeah," chimed in Paine, a bit curious herself, "anything else?"

"Hmm...when I came to, Baralai had just left. A priest was their finishing with my bandages. Then he left in a huff. He told Gippal to go in and entertain me until Baralai returned."

Yuna's eyes popped open in surprise, "You mean Gippal was with him?"

"Yeah, I guess so," she nodded, "...oh, and he told me what happened before between him and Baralai."

"Go on, enlighten us." demanded Paine, really getting curious now.

Rikku cleared her throat and began, "Well ok, here's what he told me..."

_When we got out of there, Gippal slid down that big chain like we did. The reason he was there, and this took a lot of nagging to get out of him, was because he thought Baralai was going to use Vegnagun. I was kinda surprised to hear that myself, because Baralai of all people didn't seem like the person to use a massive weapon like Vegnagun._

_Anyway, before he could reach the chamber with Vegnagun in it, Baralai confronted him. He set him up for a trap, which was actually meant for us. Although, it was only two stupid machina guards Bevelle uses. Gippal thought Baralai had pulled a fast one on him. What Gippal didn't find out until later was that Nooj was nearby. Apparently, at least this is what Gippal knew, was that Nooj and one of the old Maesters were plotting against Baralai._

_Baralai played to Nooj's displeasure by acting as a submissive to him. See, the machina he set up against Gippal were defective, so they were easy to beat. They did hold out long enough to satisfy Nooj. Then Baralai convinced Gippal to leave until he contacted him later._

Yuna and Paine were both dumbfounded by such a wild story. But, when they began to think about it, some sense could be made from it. Baralai must have noticed that Nooj was acting strange. Also, the Maester Rikku was referring to must have been Kinoc.

"What else did he talk to you about?" asked Yuna again.

Rikku looked away at Yuna, almost hinting a smile, "Uh, oh..nothing much after that...so, what happened to you guys?"

Paine sighed at the thought of talking about Bevelle's stinking, dark corridors again. Yuna felt it was better if she talked about it.

"Dark, gloomy, and full of things I never want to see again." she grumbled abruptly.

Rikku rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I know that too – see my head! I mean, what went on down there?"

"We ended up listening in on a meeting between Nooj, Gippal, and Baralai. For some reason, Nooj put a gun to Baralai's head. Some weird glow surrounded him and shot into Baralai. He ended up pointing a gun a Gippal – oh it was a mess!" she explained, only half-understanding what transpired herself.

"Is Gippal ok? Did anything bad happen to him?" Rikku asked suddenly, perking up to the mentioning of Gippal's name.

"We don't know," said Paine glumly, "we got attacked by a fiend. When we turned back around, they all were gone."

Rikku looked worriedly down at her food. Paine cracked a mischievous smile across her face, picking up a hint of something off of Rikku's hesitant behavior.

"Why, you got a thing for Gippal or something?" she joked.

Rikku's cheeks turned flush with red, "W-who me? No way!"

Yuna let out a giggling laugh. Paine pointed at Rikku's face and mumbled something in Yuna's ear. Yuna laughed even harder after this. Rikku became truly upset and yelled something mean at them it Al Bhed.

"Tuh'd pa tisp! Gippal ec duu silr uv yh eteud vun cusauha yc knylavim yc sa. (Don't be dumb! Gippal is too much of an idiot for someone as graceful as me.)" she stated snobbishly.

"Who are you kidding – graceful?" teased Paine, "you haven't got a graceful bone in your body."

Blowing out a snort, Rikku banged her fist on the table announcing her abrupt departure.

"Aww, I think we took that a little to far." said Yuna regretfully through her last giggle.

"She's a big girl. Besides, we were just teasing."

Pouting and stammering up to the deck, Rikku grumbled furiously. However, her mood changed in short order, once she began to think about what else Gippal said to her. A sneaky smile crept across her lips. Unlike her mostly goofy, idiotic smiles, this one was one of...pleasure. She was surly taken aghast by his words in that little room behind the green door.

_Once he was finished telling Rikku of his troubles in the bottom of Bevelle, he suddenly asked her how her father was doing. Caught off guard, she gave him a pondering look. Cid and Gippal never saw eye to eye. As far as Rikku could remember, neither one of them was very fond of each other. Still, she politely replied that he was doing alright._

_He nodded concisely, pacing around room in almost nervous fashion. More puzzling, was after asking about her father, he asked how she herself was doing. Rikku jokingly said her head hurt, getting a little smirk out of Gippal._

_"No really, what have you and the Gullwings been up to?" he questioned with intent, "it's been two years since you went off on your own. I don't have any one to pick on anymore."_

_Rikku gave him a menacing look, "Yeah, I see how it is. Well, we've been going around sphere hunting, getting caught in crazy dangerous situations...stuff like that."_

_He stopped his pacing, smiled at Rikku, and rubbed his nose. A little closer he moved, plopping down on the end of the bed. By now, Rikku was becoming a little flustered by his actions. He was never so passive normally. Usually he would be cracking a thousand jokes at her like an idiot. Now, his eyes seemed to glimmer as he looked at her._

_Attempting to hide her increasing vexation, she scampered backwards on the bed, keeping some separation between Gippal and herself. Sensing her apprehension, Gippal decided to come on a little stronger. Closer he moved up the bed, leaning his head towards Rikku's._

_"Hey, do you ever get lonely?" he asked out of nowhere._

_"Of-of course not," she said blushingly, "I have Yuna, Paine, Brother..."_

_"That's not what I mean," snapped Gippal before she could finish, "what about someone you really care about...someone you want close to your heart."_

_Rikku was turning ten shades a red by this point. She was gasping for air, exasperated by Gippal's entrancing advances. What did he mean, she wondered frantically to herself. Although she had a good idea, she wouldn't admit it to herself. There's no way Gippal was attract to her – especially in that sort of manner._

_Yet Gippal was bound and determined to change her mind, "C'mon Rikku. How 'bout a little kiss?"_

_"What?"! she yelled frantically, almost falling off the bed, "stop joking around Gippal!"_

_He backed away off the bed, just as quickly as he came on to her. Laughing for a bit, he rubbed the back of his head. Then he glanced at the ground and shook his head. Once again, he gazed at her with his shimmering green eyes (at least one of them)._

_"Alright, you win this time Rikku. But I'm not gonna be so easy to dodge next time." he said, pointing his finger into the air._

_With a wink and a smile, he opened up the green door and left. Rikku staggered off the bed, not actually going anywhere. Instead, she bumbled around in a circle across from the bed. Bright red was her face, which at that point could be used to light up the darkest of passageways. Inside she was burning up as well._

_Beyond her shock, she was genuinely stunned by Gippal's advancements. And beyond that, she wasn't sure how she felt after all this. On one hand, she's always thought of him as a lumbering jerk who always picked on her back at Home. Nevertheless, she couldn't deny his good looks. His spiky blond hair caught the fancy of Rikku's eyes, not to mention his sleek, muscular build. Aside from his dim-wit personality, he was pretty freaking sexy._

At this point in her brain, she was on the verge of short-circuiting. Madly she shook her head, trying to clear Gippal from her mind. A long sigh came forth, exemplifying her confused state of mind. She sat down and rested her chin on

her knees. Perhaps she might be interested in him, or perhaps not. At the point she was at, it was impossible to tell either way. But finally, a tiny smile formed again from her lips. Regardless of how she felt inside, any girl could appreciate the attention of such a hottie.

Feeling better, not to mention less distracted, she headed back down to the bridge. Hopefully there would be something for her to do there. She felt best if she kept herself as busy as possibly for the time being. She was in luck, as Shinra had a read on a sphere for the Gullwings to check out. Paine was already standing to the side of Shinra, and Yuna came up behind Rikku.

"Hey, what's up Shinra. You got a sphere for us to find or what?" she expressed impatiently.

Shinra turned his chair around, "Hold your horses and let me explain...See, earlier today I located a sphere wave from within Zanarkand."

"Zanarkand? Are you sure?" asked Paine.

Shinra nodded handily, "Oh yeah, I'm sure. From what I estimate, the signal seems to be coming from deep within the ruins."

"But I thought we had gotten that sphere from the Zanarkand ruins?" a confused Yuna asked, scratching her head.

"Yep." replied Shinra in a most abbreviated manner.

"Some explanation..." Paine mumbled.

Shinra threw up his arms, "Hey, there's nothing to tell. All I know is there's another sphere in Zanarkand."

"Some help you are." grouched Rikku teasingly.

"Hey, I'm just a kid."

As the girls simultaneously rolled their eyes, Brother walked up to them, prancing about like a drunken dictator. He waved his arms in the air frantically, easily gaining the attention of everybody on the bridge.

"It doesn't matter where that sphere is, but only that we must go and get it! On to Zanarkand and the adventure that awaits!" he proclaimed heroically.

Paine rubbed her brow and sighed, "This can't be good..."

* * *

_**Next Chapter:** Shinra's calculations lead them to the depths of Zanarkand's ruins and beyond. In her travels as a summoner, Yuna hadn't ventured to any place like this. Now she and the gang face a host of nasty fiends in the search for the sphere beneath the rubble. What connection could it have with the one she's always longed for? _


	13. Chapter 13 – Stories of the Past

**Chapter 13 – Stories of the Past**

**Note (3/28/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

Pyreflies filled the air where the Celsius landed. It was nearing dusk, the starlights beginning to glimmer in the darkening sky. Reflections danced with shadows on the surrounding ruins. Everything was tranquil in Zanarkand. Cid's little tourist attraction had gone up in smoke; now, only monkeys and decadence remained. For the Gullwings, and especially Yuna, this was preferred.

Zanarkand had a different meaning for each of the girls. In Paine's mind, the crumbled ruins only held as a historical essence of a city long dead. As pyreflies dazzled along the horizon, there lie no urges of grief or despair for her. She wasn't caught up in past memories. It wasn't as if she held no appreciation for the history of this place. Just glancing at Yuna made her understand what sacrifice and turmoil transpired here. Still, without actually experiencing it first hand, an understanding was all it remained.

Rikku took this place closer to the heart, however. It was only two long years ago that she fought beside Yuna to vanquish Yunalesca. Conjured up with the pyreflies was her suppressed feelings of anxiety. This was the place where Yuna was to die for the final summoning. If it hadn't been for Auron and Tidus, she might have lost her cousin for such a tragic waste. She hid her sadness of the past well, via her goofy smile. Nevertheless, she would do anything to prevent feeling such pain again.

For Yuna, nothing had changed in the two short years since her battle. A mix of emotions coursed within her veins, swelling as they approached the hill where she and Tidus spent what she believed would be their last night together. Lingering in her mind, was the thought of cheating fate. Both Tidus and she were destined to die, and to bring forth the final aeon. Yet, she was glad it had not to come to that, thanks to her beloved. She could nearly sense his presence in this place, creating an illusion of nostalgia for her. His voice almost spoke to her in the gentle breeze brushing across her face. She yearned to be with him again.

"You ok Yuna?" asked Paine, grabbing her by the shoulder.

She jumped, abruptly snapped out of her trance, "Huh! Oh...yeah – yeah, I'm fine."

"Stay sharp girl, we're in the ruins now. With the tourists gone, the fiends have probably come out to play." Paine warned, then walking ahead of Yuna.

Yuna looked down at the ground. Zanarkand, she wondered, what was it like so long ago. She longed to know what Tidus knew as his home, even if it was only a dream. At least she could be with him.

Just as expected, the inside of the ruins stood exactly as it did two years ago. Pockets of pyreflies lit up the otherwise dark platforms and buildings. It was calm, but not desolate. Murmurs of fiends could be heard crawling in the naked distance. Their sounds echoed off the twisted metal ghosts of former structures. Shame of wasted destruction weeped from the buildings where people once lived and dreamed.

Then, a different sound was heard crawling up the side of one of these graves. A head popped up in front the of girls, giving them quite a scare. Paine's reflexes kicked in, as she charged head first at the instigator. Nearly slicing its head off, the figure yelped and fell off what it was climbing. Looking down at it, Paine suddenly realized it was no fiend.

"Issaru? Is that you?" she yelled tenuously, feeling bad about what she just did.

The shadow of his arm rubbing against his head mimicked on the ground, "I am alright, I think. You gave me quite a startle!"

Yuna and Rikku ran up to see what just happened.

"Um...Paine," Rikku stated teasingly, "you might want to ask questions first from time to time..."

"Ah shut up!" she barked back, chasing the giggling Rikku away.

Yuna climbed down a bit, reaching out her hand to help Issaru, "Here, take my hand. I''l help you climb out."

She lifted him off the ground, and the two of them climbed up to where she was just standing. Issaru issued a sigh of relief, and dusted himself off. He bowed apologetically to them for the accidental surprise.

"I'm truly sorry for catching you off guard Lady Yuna."

Yuna waved her hand, "No, no, it's our fault. I'm sure you weren't expecting anybody to be here."

"Mm - that's correct," he nodded, "since Cid left, there's been a severe decline in business. So, I had to close the attraction. After seeing how things have become, especially for the monkeys that reside here, I feel it was for the best."

Rikku nodded her head furiously, "Exactly. Ugh, what was Pops thinkin'?"

"Now what are you going to do?" questioned Paine intently.

Issaru rubbed his hand on his chin, "Hmm...good question. I suppose I'll stay here for a while and guard the monkeys. Guess you could say I've become Zanarkand's lone defender."

Rikku chuckled, while Yuna swayed with her arms behind her back. Paine folded her arms, and hinted a smile at what Issaru just said.

"I must ask, what are you three doing here?" he inquired, continuing his chin rubbing.

"Well, we are looking for a sphere. Shinra found a signal from deep within the Zanarkand ruins." answered Yuna.

"Ah, of course. I keep forgetting you're a sphere hunter now Lady Yuna."

"Do you know where we might look for a sphere?"

Issaru began tapping his foot, thinking deeply to himself for a moment. He them hummed to himself, which apparently helped his memory out.

"Not really, I've been to about everywhere here..." he explained, but paused, "wait, now I remember. There's one place I haven't been to, it's down that way a good bit."

He pointed to a large, cave-like opening in one of the large, skeletal structures to the north. Light only shown a few feet into the hole. It must lead to some place quite deep within Zanarkand – just where the girls needed to be.

"I only traveled in a short distance before I was attacked by fiends. I can't say how big it is, or what's inside. However, it's your best bet for locating a sphere in Zanarkand."

Rikku launched her fist into the air excitedly, "Cool Issaru, thanks for the tip! That must be where it is!"

Paine gripped her arm, "Whoa there crazy, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Paine dragged Rikku by the arm so they could get on with their mission. Rikku waved gleefully to Issaru, who smiled lackadaisically at the funny Al Bhed girl. Yuna asked how they were going to see in the dark. Rikku had just the little machina contraption to solve that dilemma. Out of her pouch came a small, cylindrical thingy. With a click, a sudden stream of light came forth, shining some deprecated images in front of them.

The beginning of this superstructure comprised of a long hallway, with walls coiled and coarsened from an eternity of rotting. The smell of rust filled the air, choking up the girls. After some coughing, they came upon a large, metal door.

"Stand back, I'll take care of this." firmly announced Paine, as she braced herself.

With a heavy, powerful swoop, she sliced the door in half, revealing a cavernous room. A cloud of dust poured out, gagging the girls half to death.

"Ack, the air in here must be a thousand years old!" Yuna managed to choke out.

Rikku covered her mouth, and pointed her flashlight around the room. It was mainly empty, save for a few indistinguishable masses laying around. There was nothing but rubble here. Still, Rikku did find another door on the other side of the huge room. Stepping cautiously over the debris, the girls went into the following area.

It was a small, congested room. Along the wall opposite of them was a large control booth. Rikku walked up closer to examine it. Moving some of the junk that had collected on top of it over the centuries, she discovered an array of switches, dials, and knobs.

"Hey, I wonder if any of this still works?" she joked, poking randomly at the buttons.

Flickering suddenly was one of the panel's screens. A dim, fuzzy image appeared on it. Rikku pointed her flashlight at it, trying to make out the image. She called over to Yuna to come take a look. They both squinted at the screen.

"Can you make the picture brighter Rikku?" Yuna asked, almost pressing her face up against the screen.

Rikku shrugged, "I dunno, this thing is really, really old."

She twisted every knob and pushed every button she could find, but to no avail. She barked furiously at it in Al Bhed. Shaking her head, Paine finally walked over to take matters in to her own hands.

"Step aside, I'll fix this..." she stated as she thwacked the panel as hard as she could with her fist.

The panel began crackling, and some sparks burst out of its seams. Nevertheless, Paine's brute force worked, as the screen lit up brilliantly. Yuna immediately gasped as she starred at the little monitor. Where ever this camera was positioned, it relayed the image of a gigantic arena, with a magnificent stage. In the background, she was able to make out what she thought could be an insignia of some kind.

"It looks a lot like the stadium in Luca ya know." commented Rikku, pondering out loud.

Paine agreed, "No kidding – where is this place."

Yuna turned her head to look sternly at Paine, "I don't know, but we better find it. I have a feeling that's where our sphere might be."

Rikku smiled at Yuna premise for further adventure. The girls pushed there way past some garbage to reach the door. This led them outside, but not to a place they've been before. While they traveled the road to Yunalesca, they had never came across this area of Zanarkand. Two tall buildings preceded a gigantic domed structure – the stadium they must have seen on the camera.

"You know," began Paine in a sentimental voice, "it's amazing when you think about it. Such a desolate place used to be inhabited by thousands of people."

Something in Yuna's heart clicked; she faltered to hold back a tear. A tingling about this place seemed inconceivably familiar, even though she knew she'd never been here. The queasy feeling in her stomach worsened with every step she took towards the stadium.

If that wasn't enough, they were surprised yet again my a mysterious figure. This time it was Rikku whose reflexed kicked in, as she all but jumped into Yuna's arms from fright. Yuna herself let out a frightened cry. Paine, however, wasn't afraid, because she saw it coming.

"Uhh...hey old man...what are you doing out here?" she called over angrily.

Out of the stadium's shadow appeared the bumbling walk of Spira's favorite old historian - Maechen. Bowing his flimsy body slightly as to gesture salutations, he walked up to the girls.

"High Summoner Yuna, this is certainly a fascinating place to meet." he quibbled.

She, as well as Rikku and Paine, looked funny at him, "Certainly it is...um, what are _you_ doing all the way out here."

The old man sighed quietly, "An old man like myself has a hard time remembering things. Somehow I got on the subject of Zanarkand's ancient past. But, I couldn't remember a crucial element of it. So, I decided to visit this place, hoping to jog my memory."

"And you came out here all by yourself?" asked Rikku, slightly amazed, slightly baffled.

He nodded, "Why yes. The tranquility of this place has done wonders for me."

"That's good to hear," smiled Yuna, putting her hands behind her back, "did you remember what you wanted to remember?"

The old man's face perked up at the sound of an interested ear, "Why yes Lady Yuna, I did. Would you like to hear about this phenomenal structure behind me?"

"Yuna, we don't have all day..." whispered Paine impatiently into Yuna's ear.

"Oh come on," she whispered back, "maybe he'll give us a clue."

Yuna then happily agreed to listen to Maechen story. Rikku immediately sat down on the ground, realizing it would be a while before they moved. Clearing his throat, Maechen prepared for his long-winded story.

"Hmm...let me see, where should I begin..."

_As you all know, ages ago, there was a great war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Each side committed many men to fight one another, sending countless people to their deaths. But that is not my focus of this story. You see, during this time, Zanarkand was a bustling city. _

_Among its prominences was blitzball. Legend has it, that their team was so fierce, that even in such a time of war, a grand stadium was built to idolize them. Many great matches were won and lost in this stadium. However, that is not the most important fact about this building._

_For you see, there was a grand summoner, much like yourself Lady Yuna. Had she lived in another time, her magnificent vocal talents might not have been wasted. In fact, it was in this very stadium that she performed a concert. Yet, as fact remained, her great skill in the summoner's arts led her to an early death. _

_Just before a large army of troops were to leave Zanarkand, she was ordered to sing for them, in the hopes of boosting their morale. On top of a prodigious stage, she sung the feelings of everyone in Zanarkand – perhaps even Spira. Not a eyes was dry in the house, or so it was written._

_It was also said that at this time, the summoner Lenne met..._

At this point, Yuna nearly leap attacked the old man. She grabbed onto his sleeve, almost ripping his arm off.

"Lenne? Lenne! That name...who is this Lenne!" she yelled, shaking him chaotically.

"Please, Lady Yuna, control yourself," he pleaded for his life, "I'm certainly not as spry as I used to be. Such abuse will break my brittle bones."

Regaining her senses, she promptly let go of his arm. Rikku and Paine starred at her in awe of her nutty outburst. She embarrassedly smiled at Maechen, bowing in apology.

"I-I am very sorry. I don't know what came over me."

The old man nodded and flapped his hand, "It is quite alright Lady Yuna. I'm glad to see someone is still charged by an old man's story."

"Please, tell me, who is Lenne?"

"Ah, Lenne...yes, that is the summoner and songstress I was just talking to you about. Who you like to hear more about her?"

Before Paine could open her mouth, Yuna nodded vigorously at his offer. Once again, Maechen cleared his wrinkled throat and sucked in some air.

_Now where was I...ah yes. Lenne was a great songstress in her time. But beyond that, she was a skilled summoner. I would say she was on par with your level of craft. Unfortunately for her, as I believe I mentioned before, it was not a time for singing, but a time for fighting. You see, after she completed her performance in this very stadium, she was also sent to fight Bevelle._

_Oh, but I forgot to mention, it was here that she met the man she would come to love. His name was...well, let me think...hmm...I don't believe I know his name. But that's not important. It was this man that would eventually become the one who attempted to steal Bevelle's massive weapon Vegnagun._

_Such a tragedy that story was. However, I must save that for another time. You wouldn't want this old man to run out of tales now would you?_

He tipped his head and thanked the girls for listening to an old man ramble. Paine and Rikku were just happy getting on with their mission. Meanwhile, Yuna pondered upon the story which Maechen just told. This feeling of sorrow she felt, as well as the image of this woman – could they be connected to Lenne?

She thought back to Shinra, and the first new dress sphere they obtained. He said that souls could live in these dress spheres. Could it be then, that Lenne's soul is the one that inhabits her songstress dress sphere? When she thought back to the first time she used that dress sphere, she immediately noticed a weird feeling. It was as if someone else was controlling her soul. After jumping around like a madwoman in Luca, she hadn't thought about it again. Now, she wondered if that really meant anything.

Still, right now all that mattered was hunting down that elusive sphere. The girls walked closer and closer to the mighty stadium that stood before them. Even in such a decrepit state, it boasted a majestic quality. They could only imagine what it might have looked like a thousand years ago – what Tidus saw when he played in this stadium.

"Well Yuna, I got a real good feeling this is where we'll find our sphere!" cheered Rikku prematurely.

"Uh oh," murmured Paine, "better go find some wood to knock on."

Yuna chuckled uneasily, gazing at the tattered, old banner of the "Zanarkand Abes." It was hard to imagine Tidus standing proudly beside this. Sometimes her memories of him blurred. At first, it frightened her. But they always came back. Still, she felt as if she was the one living in a dream.

"Wanna go inside?" asked Paine bluntly, patiently waiting for Yuna to stop gawking at the half-torn banner.

"Oh sorry." she replied softly.

The small door leading into the gigantic stadium seemed almost a folly. Then again, going in the back door was always a good strategy. Light cast in from the open door, showing a narrow hallway. Many doors could be seen on either side, each marked with a letter-number combination. A slight pitter-patter sounded from Yuna's foot, as she bumped into a blitzball long forgotten about.

She knelt down, rubbing off the dust and grime with her hand. She caressed it gently, almost as if it was a living being. Outside of being an ancient artifact, there was nothing special about it. Yet, to Yuna, it meant so much more. She felt a solemn tear roll down her cheek, splashing onto the ball. With grievance, she shook her head, snapping herself out of such an illogical mood.

Meanwhile, Rikku was glaring curiously at the home team's locker room. She wondered if she could score some memorabilia as old as Maechen. Carefully she turned the knob to the door. Much to her disappointment, there was nothing notable – at least in sight. Continuing on, she began checking all the lockers, even as dirty and rusted as they were, to find something cool.

In each one she found nothing cool at all. A pair of disgusting socks did remain, however. A lonely shoe, a bottle of some kind of spray, a funky-looking visor – not a single worthwhile item.

"Damn, where is all the cool stuff? Surly one of those jocks had to have forgotten something!" she growled to herself.

Finally, in the last locker marked "91," she found a jersey-like shirt. It was yellow, and had red and black checkers on the sleeves. Rikku smirked in surprise, thanking that her clumsy efforts weren't in vain.

Walking back out into the hallway, she found that her fellow Gullwings had left her behind. She quickly darted up the hallway, playing catchup with her newly found prize.

"Lookie what I found! Isn't this thing cool?" she exclaimed sprightfully.

Paine glared irritatedly at her, "There you are? Where have you been snooping?"

"Aw, I'm find Doctor P – no need to worry," she replied like a brat, "beside, I found this neat jersey!"

Gleefully, she pointed at the musty jersey she was holding up. Paine rolled her eyes while Yuna giggled at Rikku's immaturity. Rikku stuck out her tongue. Then she made fun of Yuna, pointing out that she was carrying around some dirty old blitzball. It was then that Yuna noticed some writing on the back of the jersey.

"Hey, turned that back around," she scoffed, "I thought I saw something written on the back of that shirt."

Rikku looked perplexedly at Yuna for a second, flipping around the jersey. She squinted her eyes, trying to make out the letters.

"Hey, you're right Yunie. I think it's a name...Shuyin!"

* * *

_**Next Chapter: **It seems the girls have discovered the name of an old blitzball player. Too bad Maechen isn't around to tell them about the guy. With cool memorabilia in hand, they continue on to visit the grand arena where Lenne once performed. Unfortunately, it isn't a pretty songstress they find up on stage._


	14. Chapter 14 – Depths of a Ruined City

**Chapter 14 – Depths of a Ruined City**

**Note (3/28/05)**: I'm going back and rereading my previous chapters, making the occasional error fix or story tweak.

* * *

"Too bad that guy isn't still around," teased Paine, "or you could have gotten his autograph."

"Yeah, whatever...you're just jealous. I betcha he was a real hunk!" Rikku struck back.

Yuna chuckled lightly, "It is a shame – I could have gotten him to sign my ball as well."

Paine shook her head in dismay, "Yuna, are you still carrying that dirty old blitzball around?"

"Hmph! I like it," Yuna snubbed defiantly, "besides, for all you know, this could have been a game-winning ball."

Paine and Rikku looked at each other and laughed. Yuna's face turned red; she yelled scornfully at them for what was so funny. Rikku told Yuna it was alright, they understood. Reminded by Paine, they promptly got back to their original goal for coming to Zanarkand. Yuna radioed back to the Celsius to see if Shinra had a more precise location of the sphere.

"I know it's close," began Shinra, "however, there is still a lot of electromagnetic interference in the area. I can't get a good read."

"Ah man Shinra...you mean with all your gadgets you can't tell us anything more?" complained Rikku into Yuna's Commsphere.

The grumbling voice of an annoyed Shinra barked out of the Comm, causing Rikku to jump back, "Well I could if there wasn't something interfering with my signals!"

Paine put her fingers to her chin, "You mean there's something in Zanarkand causing the electromagnetic interference?"

"Precisely," replied Shinra, "and I believe it's coming from the northern part of Zanarkand."

"Hey, that's where we are." added Yuna.

"So, what kind of thing makes electromagnetic interference like that?" asked Paine.

"Anything that uses a lot of electricity," interrupted Rikku, "a machina, large power source...really anything that gives of a lot of static."

Paine rolled her eyes, "Way to be specific there Rikku."

"Ah, whatever." she growled, sticking out her tongue.

"If anybody is still listening," continued Shinra before he was so rudely interrupted by the peanut gallery, "if you disable the source, I can locate the sphere for you."

"Don't worry," replied Yuna, starring darkly at the wrestling Paine and Rikku, "we'll disable it."

Continuing on, the girls further explored the gigantic arena. Row upon row of old seats encircled the stage beautifully. Nevertheless, the presence of sad emptiness mystified what should have been a gorgeous sight. Each one of the thousands of seats was cluttered with dust and cobwebs. Only the imagination could describe how exquisite this stadium must have appeared during Lenne's concert. But, that was history, made all too apparent by the darkness that overcast the arena.

Once satisfied that nothing was to be found in the arena, the Gullwings continued onwards to the doors exiting the other side. Once again, they found another hallway filled with many doors. This hallway was longer than the first, as it made a L-shaped turn to the right. As in the other side, each door was marked by a letter-number combination. Rikku peeked her head into a room, but only found old blitzball equipment.

Down the hall they walked, not finding any kind of clue. They quickly became discouraged, wishing Shinra could have been more useful. Rikku whined about how nothing in Zanarkand could give off enough static shock to interfere with Shinra's toys, at least nothing that might still function. Yuna said they still needed to find it, while opening another door. Inside, she found what looked like a makeshift dressing room. A long table was set up next to a suspended mirror. Moving closer to it, she discovered a broken makeup container, a small blue comb, a crumbled yellowish paper, and an upside down picture frame.

Carefully, she picked up the frame – broken glass falling out of it. In the frame was a wrinkled picture, scarred from the aging of time. She saw an image of a tall, handsome young man holding a blitzball. His smile glimmered forthright into Yuna's eyes with vigor, regardless of how decayed the picture actually was. Strangely, he looked very similar to Tidus. The appearance wasn't exact, but close enough to make her think twice about it. For a moment she returned his flashy smile with a sentimental one of her own, hoping his was resting in peace somewhere with his love.

Gently, she placed the picture back onto the table. She then went to the letter, tenderly picking it up. She felt its bitter texture rub against her skin. It was hand written, as she could tell by the faded ink it was inscribed with. In fear of destroying it, she all but held her breath while reading its emotional words.

_Dear Lenne,_

_I gaze into the gallant sunrise today, wishing you not to leave for Bevelle. You have far too much talent to waste on such a worthless war. I know you don't agree, but I can't but help to write what I feel. The people of Spira have gone mad with their own lust for power. Forget them, all of them. It isn't your responsibility to save them. For them it's too late. But it isn't too late for us Lenne. No matter what, I love you. Don't sing for them, but for me, and only me. Leave Zanarkand tonight with me. We can run away to some distant corner of Spira, where we can leave happily alone together. I couldn't bear to live without you. Please, reconsider your decision._

_With love unending,_

_Shuyin_

If the blitzball Yuna held tightly wasn't enough to choke up Yuna, this letter was. Drops of tears flooded from her reddened cheeks. Such words would move any person who could feel. To Yuna, these words held such truth that it overwhelmed her. It was words such as these that Tidus tried to convey to her two years ago. She, just as Shuyin, wanted nothing more then to run away to the most distant realm of Spira. To live peacefully for the rest of her life with Tidus – that was, and still remained, all she wanted.

She closed her eyes, softly chocking back her tears. With a heavy breath, she regained control of her emotions. Instead of replacing the letter back upon the table, she picked it up along with her blitzball and walked out of the room. Paine and Rikku were in the other room, searching in some rubble. She approached them, opening her mouth to explain what she just read. Yet, as if a force inside her whispered for her to stop, she remained silent. Standing there for a few moments, Yuna starred blankly at the ground until Rikku noticed she was behind her.

"Hey, there you are Yunie." she chirped, giving Yuna a little wave.

Yuna replied with a half-hearted smile, "Um...did you guys find anything?"

"Yeah right," grumbled Paine, turning around as well, "there isn't an electrical thing in this whole place. I have no idea what Shinra could be thinking is causing his malfunction."

"Well, all we can do is keep searching."

Paine released an irritated sigh as she threw some junk on the ground. The girls left that room, and found a series of more rooms filled with rubble. However, at the end of the long hall, Rikku swore she saw a flickering of light. Paine shrugged, and paced towards where Rikku was pointing. Stopping a couple of steps before the door, she stretched out her head, putting her hand to her ear. Listening carefully, she perceived what she thought was the sound of sparks. The crackled lasted only a second, and then only silence for a while, followed by another ephemeral crackle.

"Hey, whatcha hear?" asked Rikku, clawing on Paine's arm.

Paine pushed her back, "Quiet! I'm listening!"

Rikku, impatient and unappreciative of Paine's rudeness, decided to find out herself what was in the room. In her impulsive nature, she stepped beside Paine and gripped the doorknob, swinging the door open. Paine nearly had a coronary, yelling for Rikku to get back. She didn't listen, and barged right into the room. She screamed and jumped back out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Paine asked her what she saw.

"It-it was a...a b-big fiend..." she muttered between her heavy breaths.

"A fiend!" bellowed Yuna, "what kind of fiend?"

Rikku turned to Yuna, grabbing her by the shoulder and jerking her, "A big, sparking one!"

Just then, an array of deafening crackles shot from the door. The girls backed away just in time, as the door was smashed open. Long tentacles, flaring with electric sparks, darted at them. Paine rolled away, smacking into the wall beside her. Yuna pulled out one of her guns, firing a few shots frantically in its general direction. It had no effect, as more electrified tentacles wrapped themselves along the walls. Finally, the body of the fiend broke through the doorway. Sparks jumped off its body. It almost seemed to be a ball of electricity by the glow that surrounded it.

"I'd say now is a good time to retreat!" yelled Rikku, hauling tail the other way.

Paine and Yuna were already ahead of her, sprinting as fast as they could back up the corridor and into the arena. Rikku caught up to them hiding behind a row of seats. The trio struggled to catch their breath.

"Man...I don't think I...ever ran that fast...in my life..." panted Yuna, leaning her head up against a seat.

Paine angrily smacked Rikku on the head, "Don't you ever do something like that again, or I'll be the one you're running from."

Sounds of crackling rapidly approached where they were. A bright glow entered the arena; the fiend started whipping at the rows of seats madly. The girls ran to the other end of the arena. Shooting its tentacles at the girls, they managed to dodge its relentless attacks. With the girls, the fiend followed in hot pursuit. Its fiery glow made it very easy to track. Not that it mattered, as the girls had no plan to defeat it.

Leaping behind some rubble, Rikku fiddle with the contents in her pouches. Hastily she began mixing various liquids into one of her grenades. She gave it a quick shake.

"Now is not the time to be making cocktails Rikku!" barked Paine from a couple of rows back.

"I'm not! Can you distract that thing for a couple of seconds...I think I can make something to kill it!"

Paine pointed for Yuna to run up on stage, firing her guns at the electrical beast. Meanwhile, Paine began throwing whatever debris she could pick up at it. With a ferocious roar, it began whipping at the girls with its tentacles. Paine gracefully swerved out of the way. Yuna pumped rounds at its head, again attracting its attention. To lead it further away from Rikku, she began running in the opposite direction, continuing to shoot at it.

The beast became infuriated, and suddenly launched itself at Yuna in a darting leap. Unleashing its tentacles, it whipped her in the back of the head, sending her flying into some old stage equipment.

"Yuna!" screamed Paine, watching her comrade get launched viciously into the air, "dammit Rikku aren't you done yet!"

"Hold on," she yelled back, her hand jittering frantically, "I'm almost finished."

Paine grunted and threw another piece of rubble at the fiend. She ran over to the unconscious and bleeding Yuna. She was still breathing, but she sustained a nasty head wound. She picked up one of Yuna's guns, and began firing shots off, screaming in a fit of rage. Rikku popped her head up, spotting the fiend, as well as Paine and Yuna.

"Get back, this explosion might be big!" she ordered, hopping over the row of seats.

Paine clamped the gun in her mouth, and drug Yuna away from the beast. Rikku began yelling at the fiend, distracting its attention.

"Hey you! Why don't you eat this and die!" she shouted, throwing her grenade at the beast.

It bounced off of the fiends head, and exploded massively. The large blast was followed by a burst of magic-like water attack. It howled intensely, as the water reacted with its electricity. The beast jutted profusely, flailing around in gruesome pain. Finally, its sparks went dark, and it fell over dead. The smell of charred flesh stained the air. Rikku approached it slowly, seeing if it was truly dead. She could tell it was definitely dead, as its skin and face were half melted, and smelled disgusting. Once convinced, she hurried over to where Paine was tending to Yuna.

She knelt down, almost crying at the sight of so much blood, "Hey...is Yunie gonna be alright?"

"We have to stop her bleeding. Do you have any bandages?"

Rikku shook her head, then scrambled around, searching for some cloth or fabric. The only thing she could find was a tattered banner. She ripped a long piece from it, and rush back over to Paine. With speed, she wrapped the cloth over Yuna's forehead, still pressing hard over the wound.

She let out a sigh of relief, "She ought to be ok now. I've stopped the bleeding...luckily her wound wasn't as bad as I thought."

"You could have fooled me." muttered Rikku, eying the small pool of blood where Yuna had just been.

Yuna released a faint groan, and began to move her eyes. Rikku smiled, seeing her cousin begin to move her limbs.

"Hey Yunie, are you awake now? Are you alright?"

Yuna put her hand to her head, wincing at the stinging pain emanating from her forehead. She opened her eyes, only to see two blurry figures knelt down in front of her.

"Hey guys," she whispered, "is that you?"

Paine finally smiled, "Yeah, it's us."

"Oh...what happened...the fiend!" she shouted, sitting up in a snap.

"Whoa, whoa...calm down Yuna. It's dead." comforted Paine, lying her back down.

She let out a heavy breath, "Oh, good...hmm, for some reason, I can't see straight."

"Huh," said Rikku with puzzlement, "what do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that everything is blurry. I can kind of only make out figures...must be because I hit my head."

Paine helped Yuna to her feet, crutching her with her body, "You'll be alright Yuna. First, we got to get you out of here."

Rikku nodded exuberantly, and helped carry Yuna by her other shoulder. They walked by the dead fiend, still wrenching with the stench of crisped flesh. Down the hallway again they left, this time without incident. However, at the end of the hall was a staircase descending into the ground.

"Eh...when was there stairs here?" asked Rikku, whom was now very, very confused.

Paine gave her a dirty look, "If you hadn't barged into here, maybe you might have noticed it!"

Yuna smiled, patting Rikku's head. She wasn't angry, perhaps disoriented, but not angry. They carefully moved down the stairwell, and entered another long corridor. The door shut behind them, nearly scaring each one of them to death.

"Oh man, I hate when that happens!" cried Rikku.

Another buzzing sound rang out suddenly, but this time it was from Yuna's Commsphere.

"Whatever you guys did," cheered Shinra over the Commsphere, "really worked. I have a location for the sphere."

"Sorry Shinra, we'll have to delay that for later," sighed Paine, "Yuna got hurt."

"Shh...don't let Brother hear that. Is she alright?"

"Yeah, we're carrying her out of the stadium complex."

The tapping of Shinra's fingers could be heard thumping over the Commsphere, "Where are you guys at now?"

"Well, we're in some hall beneath the arena. We just walked down some stairs. Where's the way out?"

"Hmm, well it isn't that way. You want to be on the surface to get out."

"Argh!" yelled Paine in frustration.

Shinra attempted to calm her down, "Umm...the good news is, you're getting close to the sphere."

"I don't care..." Paine began to bark.

However, Yuna interrupted her, "Don't worry about me Paine, my sight is getting better. Shinra, do you have an exact location."

"I sure do – just keep going forward. It's at the end of that corridor."

Yuna nodded, and turned her head to Paine, "I say we get the sphere...we're so close, we might as well."

"Are you sure you're up for this?"

A loud clanging came from behind, "I don't think we have much of a choice. This door isn't opening." shouted Rikku, pushing hard on the door.

"Why are you in such a hurry, my dear..." came a voice form the shadows, "your test has just begun."

"Uh oh..." shuttered Rikku.

Paine yelled down the corridor, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

A low, chuckled began receding from the darkness, making visible a tall silhouette of a man, "Let us not be hasty. You are not in a position to be making demands...not if you want that precious sphere."

In Yuna's eyes, she could now discern the figure better as he drew nearer. He was a lavishly armored man, with the insignia of Bevelle on his chest plate. In his golden hilt, rest a large-handled sword. She noticed pyreflies twirling behind him – he must be unsent.

"I am a warrior of a lost time," he began with a deep, broad voice, "a thousand years ago, I came to Zanarkand...to infiltrate the city, gather intelligence, and assassinate its leaders."

"Hmph! Enough of the history lessons...who are you..and why are you here?" interrupted Paine in anger.

The man only laughed, then walked up to Yuna. Her sight had become almost clear; she saw his crystalline blue eyes. They seemed to refract a thousand rays of light. She remember, her father once told her, if only briefly, of a man he met who had eyes of crystal.

"Tell me," she said softly, unhinging herself from Paine's aid, "what is your name?"

He smiled, "I am Cassius, and old and tired warrior from Bevelle."

Yuna's eyes widened in awe. This was the man she remembered hearing about as a child. He once had met her father. They had fought intensely one time, for something invaluable to her father. It must have been that sphere. But, her father lost. He said the man's crystalline eyes glowed red in the heat of battle – he was a markedly different beast.

"Then I know who you are," she once again replied, in a soft manner, "you fought with my father once. Perhaps over the very sphere we've come to take."

He nodded, "Is that true. Tell me child, who is your father?"

"Lord Braska."

Now it was his eyes that widened in spectacular surprise. Then, he regained his posture, and cracked another smile. He took another few steps further, getting a vicious reaction from Paine, who drew her sword. Yuna raised her arm to stop her. Paine relaxed her battle-ready stance, not sure what to make of Yuna's sudden confidence.

"Is he so your father? Well then, that makes you quite a special girl. And if I am correct, you are then Lady Yuna, the grand summoner who defeated Sin." he conversed.

Yuna stood silent, still peering into Cassius's reflective eyes. He once again neared Yuna, coming right up to her this time. He stood in excess of two feet taller than Yuna, dwarfing her with his large, steel armor plates.

Placing his arms upon her shoulders, he said, "Then it will be you who will try to capture the sphere I've been guarding for so long. Can you do what your father could not. Can you obtain the sphere of Spira's horrid past. Or rather, do you want to know of Spira's horrid past?"

He then backed away from Yuna, motioning her to follow him. Paine and Rikku also followed.

"No, this task is not for the two of you. Only Yuna is worthy to defeat me!"

"We won't let you!" bellowed Rikku.

"Oh, but you will...or you will die." he spoke with stark indignation.

Yuna turned to face them, shaking her head, "No, do not interfere. I must do this myself...please."

Paine and Rikku stood there, expressions of nervous anxiety plastered all of their faces. Rikku reached out her arm, still wanting to follow. But the look in Yuna's eyes calmed her, and she froze in place, bowing her head.

"Come, Lady Yuna," commanded Cassius, opening a massive iron door behind them, "come see if you are stronger than your father was."

* * *

**_Next chapter: _**_Such a strong and horrifying secret awaits in an ancient sphere far below the ruins of Zanarkand. Who is the unsent warrior Cassius, and what connection did he have with Yuna's father? Can she defeat him in order to regain Spira's dark secrets?_


	15. Chapter 15 – Forsaken Warrior

**Chapter 15 – Forsaken Warrior**

**Note (4/22/05):** Once again I'm doing a little maintenance to the chapters. I'll be doing this every 5 chapter or so to fix any errors or story tweaks.

* * *

Yuna clenched her fists, exhaling out an anxious breath. She then nodded to Cassius, and proceeded to follow him into the chamber. It was a thin, outstretched room; the high ceiling held a dimly shining lamp, glaring murky streams of light down into the room. She looked to the far side of the chamber, noticing a glowing blue sphere sunken into an elegant pedestal. She knew that was what she was after.

But the question of whether or not she could defeat him was uncertain – tremendously uncertain. His stance, his demeanor, his voice – it was self-evident to Yuna that Cassius was a weathered, experienced warrior. Each step of his sounded the clanging of his armor plates. The sword by his side swiveled with grace and determination. Yuna began to second-guess accepting his challenge.

Walking about a dozen or so steps beyond where Yuna had stopped in the chamber, he did a sharp about-face. A fierce resolution burned in his eyes, but it wasn't the same as what she expected. Rather than a tyrannical gaze of a soldier ready to kill, his eyes appeared stern, yet sorrowful.

He opened his mouth, and spoke with less of a bold tone than before, "I expected the offspring of Lord Braska to be a bit taller."

"Don't be fooled by my petite stature." retorted Yuna, staring harshly at Cassius.

"Of course," he smiled, easing his austere posture even more, "you have faced many a foe...why would you fear just one more."

Yuna, however, only hardened her stature, waiting for Cassius to strike. In the back of her mind, crept the fear of his battle skills. She knew he could fight infinitesimally better than she could ever hope to. Her eyes quickly darted up and down his iron-clad body, analyzing him for some sort of weak point.

"As a summoner, you've fought beside many faithful guardians. However, how well can a little girl such as yourself fight on your own." he questioned, drawing his sword suddenly.

Yuna gasped, and nearly fell over from such a scare. Also raging in the back of her head was the exact question he had just mentioned. For years, she had relied on others to protect her. What had she done to safeguard herself, she wonder. Or, more to the point, what _could_ she do. She was meek... a tiny shell, anorexic compared to the giant that Cassius was. She chocked to swallow her own nervous saliva, her breathing becoming heavy and sporadic.

Yet, it was at this moment, that she remembered his face. She could almost see him, smiling his beautiful smile at her. Images of Tidus and her standing in Luca, the first time she ever whistled. She remembered the strength that others gave her. It wasn't always with them next to her, but with their spirits within her.

Yuna peered at him, focusing all her energy for battle. Whatever Cassius may throw at her, she was ready. She didn't need others for protection anymore. Droplets of sweat began to bead from her pores. Her breath weighed heavy, her muscles sharp with tension.

With a sudden flick of his body, Cassius sheathed his sword, and chuckled lightly to himself. He let out a sigh, and began to approach Yuna. She instinctively braced herself, but he waved his hand to call her off. Confused, Yuna still kept up her elevated guard.

"Fear not," he said calmly, shaking his head, "there will be no battle today."

Yuna gazed at him in mistrust, "What do you mean? I don't understand?"

"I know." he replied concisely.

He turned to the side, extending his arm out towards the sphere. The gesture made Yuna uneasy; she expected a fight, and certainly not this. Carefully, she moved to the pedestal. She then turned back to Cassius, who hadn't moved at all.

"Explain to me, why you didn't attack me?" she demanded.

He closed his eyes for a moment, pausing to reflect, "I suppose you don't understand. Please Lady Yuna, let me explain."

Approaching the pedestal, he walked in a feeble manner, and stopped in front of Yuna. Sighing deeply, he knelt before her, his head down in humble indignation. Yuna was truly taken aghast by his sudden change in demeanor. Before, he was an immense and valiant warrior. Now, he graveled on the ground, as if Yuna was the victor.

"I must make amends...both with you and your father." he said quietly, almost in a whisper.

Yuna, still unable to grasp his reasonings, stuttered to speak, "I-I still don't understand..."

"Please, allow an old warrior to confess..."

_As I said before, long ago, I had infiltrated Zanarkand. Although, my mission was not to assassinate, or find some grand secret, but to hide. You see, I was a deserter. Fighting was never in my blood. The only reason I was in the army was to protect my family. Still, even with their hearts in mine, I didn't have the gall to battle. I ran to Zanarkand after leaving my unit. Perhaps, I thought, I might have been able to find some sort of refuge there. I can't explain why...I was desperate..._

_But, it seems, fate already had my soul in its grasp. Not long after hiding in Zanarkand, I came across a secret they had. They had information about the super weapon we had developed. Somehow, they had confiscated a sphere with its data on it. I didn't know much about the weapon...all I knew was that I couldn't let them have it._

_I attacked the installation where the sphere was kept. I thought I could sneak in and out unnoticed, but I was eventually spotted. I ran for my life...somehow making my way to this stadium. My memories are blurry, but as fact remains, I escaped down here, in this sort of dungeon. I was safe, but I was also trapped. Not matter how hard I tried, I could not open the doors to release me. I have never been sure if they locked me down here, or if it because of my own iniquity, yet here is where I've remained._

_So, even after death, I stayed here to guard the sphere. I guess in my mind, I was honorably protecting the generations of my family. Throughout the ages, the story of this sphere and I became legend. For centuries, I've fought off would-be thieves and sphere hunters. Then, I noticed one day, that the sphere I had been so mightily protecting was gone. It had decayed into nothing over the centuries. Now, all that was left in this musty, infested chamber was my empty soul._

_Then one day, your father came to face me. He, too, wanted to see this sphere. After so many years of loneliness and despair, I was finally happy to see another human being. He probably told you many horrible things about me. It's just...I had been slowly going mad with nothing to protect. Your father gave me that opportunity back._

_He was truly a skilled fighter. I was surprise to find someone who could even come close to matching my combat abilities, as I had been constantly training myself over the eons. Nevertheless, we had a long, uninterrupted fight. But in the end, I cornered your father. In exchange for his life, I stole the sphere he was carrying. What surprised me was, if it was not for the two men accompanying him, I believe he would have died trying to get this sphere back. It wasn't until I watched the sphere that I understood why._

Cassius walked up to the pedestal, gently removing the sphere from its holder. He handed it to Yuna, patting her on the head as well. He motioned her to keep it, then turned to walk away.

She grabbed his arm, "What is on this sphere that is so important?"

Cassius stopped, and paused for a brief second, "It's of you, and your mother."

"My mother!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes. It seems your father treasured you and your mother above all else. He fought for you, and always kept you near to remind himself of that. It revived in me how I once felt...so long ago."

Yuna gazed at the sphere – a sphere of her mother, her father, and herself. Beyond Tidus, she wanted this more than anything. She thought getting Tidus back would come before this, yet in her hands was something she desired beyond comprehension. She turned to speak to Cassius, but he was gone. Now, only a dusky silence remained in the chamber.

_She blew the dust off her sphere, and flicked it on. It lit up with a bright image of Bevelle, filling the chamber with the most light that it had ever received. She heard the laughter of a small girl in the background._

_"Now now dear...don't run in the street like that." said the mellow voice of a woman._

_Yuna's eyes began to tear up at the sound of this voice. The picture turned around to show the image of a gorgeous Al Bhed woman, patting her delighted child on the head._

_"Don't worry dear, the streets are always calm around here." replied a man's voice behind the sphere camera._

_Now Yuna was genuinely crying, as she knew her father's voice better than any. She watched as the picture grew closer to her mother. She turned around, flashing an elegant smile at the lucky man behind the camera._

_"It's such a lovely day. I'm glad we decided to do this, especially since..." she said cheerfully, walked up close to the camera._

_"Ah, ah – not one mention of that. Today, all that matters is me spending time with my beautiful wife and little girl." Braska stated._

_"Daddy, daddy," rang the voice of a little Yuna, racing towards her parents, "lookie what I found...it's a toy."_

_Yuna looked upward to see herself, so small, being cherished by her parents. Her mother embraced her, lifting her in the arm so she could see her father better._

_"That isn't a toy Yuna, it's an old machina scrap." he chuckled heartily._

_"I see your daughter is as inquisitive as you are." joked another familiar voice from afar._

_"It's Uncle Auron!" the young Yuna exclaimed, pointing to the broad man coming nearer to them. _

_The older Yuna had to laugh, as Auron had his trademark stern expression on his face. A hand outstretched from the camera view, gesturing for him to come to Braska._

_"Auron, take the camera...I want a shot with my wife and Yuna for the road."_

_"Gotcha Braska." agreed Auron happily._

_He handed the camera sphere off to Auron, who bumbled around with it for a moment. Finally, Yuna's whole family came into view. There she was, in her mother's and father's arms, smiling so joyously._

_"See the camera Yuna...I'm going to take this sphere with me on my journey, so I can always see your beauteous smile." he said, pointing to the camera._

_"But daddy...I don't want you to leave." the young Yuna cried, here eyes beginning to tear up as much as the old Yuna's._

_Her father paused, soothing her with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry Yuna. I'll always be with you..."_

The image faded, and the sphere shut itself off. Although it lasted only a short time, watching her mother and father again was the best thing she'd seen in a long, long time. She began to cry, not in sadness – but in joy. Wiping away her tears, she tucked away the sphere with the letter she had found earlier. While she knew it better to leave the past behind, there were some pasts that should never be forgotten.

Yuna walked to the door, and put her hand against it to push it open. Unlike Cassius, the door opened without effort. She walked out, immediately receiving four relieved arms of her friends.

"Yunie, you're ok!" Rikku bellowed, throwing her arms around Yuna.

"Hey, are you alright Yuna? Did you kill him?" asked Paine intently.

Yuna shook her head, "No, we didn't fight at all."

Rikku looked with perplexity at Yuna, "Huh, you didn't fight? Then how did you get the sphere?"

"His own guilt I suppose..."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh...I'll explain it all to you back on the Celsius. Hey, do you want to see some pictures of my mother and father?"

"Your mom and dad? Cool!"

Yuna laughed, and put her arm lovingly around Rikku as they left for their ship. Their mission in Zanarkand was complete. While it did not unearth the enormous secret that they might have hoped for, to Yuna, it was her most successful mission ever. She took one last look into the bleak chamber which had imprisoned Cassius for so long. But instead of the solemn, metal body of Cassius, she saw a swarm of pyreflies shooting off into the sky. The forsaken warrior was free.

* * *

_**Next chapter:** The Gullwings take a visit to Besaid. It seems they've developed a nasty fiend problem, and it'll take the girls to beat them. Plus, they get to see how Lulu and Wakka are doing, since their baby is soon approaching birth._


	16. Chapter 16 – Trouble in Paradise

**Chapter 16 – Trouble in Paradise**

**Note (4/23/05):** Once again I'm doing a little maintenance to the chapters. I'll be doing this every 5 chapter or so to fix any errors or story tweaks.

* * *

Buddy grumbled at the sphere monitor, shaking his head, "It seems no matter what you do, they're never going to stopping bickering."

"Such illogic is so irritating." replied Shinra, sharing in Buddy's contempt.

"Yeah...I know what you mean," continued Buddy, "you'd think they would just get over each other."

"Or themselves for that matter."

Buddy chuckled, "Yeah, really. At least they could stop airing about it every stinking day. It's not like we don't know."

Shinra nodded, "There can't be anyone in Spira anymore who doesn't know."

The door to the bridge swooshed open, and Paine entered. She walked down to approach Buddy and Shinra.

"What's up guys?"

"I wish something was," complained Buddy, scoffing at the sphere monitor, "I'm tired of hearing about New Yevon and the Youth League."

Paine cracked a smile, and stood against the wall, her arms folded, "I think we all do. But, there's nothing we can do about it."

"Aww...I'm sure Yuna would disagree." said Shinra, half-teasingly.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Paine laughed.

"Hey, hey!" shooed Buddy, "They're actually saying something important for a change."

An image of Shelinda appeared on the screen. Behind her wasn't the typical backdrop of the bustling city of Luca. Instead, she was in Besaid, with the temple to her distance. She held up a microphone to her mouth.

"This breaking news just in. It seems there have been a large amount of fiends in Besaid. Sources tell us that these fiends have been emanating from the local temple." she stated in a reporter-like manner.

Sure enough, in the distance came two dog-like fiends from the temple. They growled as some villagers rushed for cover. Three shots rang out, and the fiends keeled over dead.

"As you've just witnessed, these fiends have been ravaging about for the last few days. The Youth League has dispatched some personnel to aid in the fighting. Their leader, Beclem, is here with us for an exclusive interview."

A tall man, dressed in a red tunic with a tailored blue overshirt came onto the screen. Everyone on the Celsius giggled at his funny-looking bird helmet.

"Yes, the great Youth League has dispatched me to protect the village of Besaid. We want nothing less than to exterminate this very horrid fiend dilemma." he spoke with a broad, stern voice.

More shrieks rang out from behind them, and Beclem was seen rushing off. The camera quickly swiveled over to Shelinda, who was frantically trying to regain control of her frantic emotions.

"Oh...my, oh my, the fiends just keep coming out of the temple. When will they be stopped? More on this breaking news story, after this..." she reported, being cut off by some impending commercials.

Buddy turned around to Paine, "Man, that's really weird...fiends coming out of the temple? First Kilika, and now Besaid."

"Doesn't something sound a little wrong with that?" besought Paine, rubbing her chin.

"Well, it certainly isn't good." chuckled Shinra, his head perched over the back of his chair.

A beeping sound flickered from Buddy's console. He quickly sped over to it, answering a sphere-call. The transmission was fuzzy at first, then became more clear.

"Hello, am I coming in alright?" asked the bumbling voice of Wakka.

Buddy nodded, "Yo Wakka...yeah, I can hear you fine now."

"Whew! I'm glad I got this here thing workin'," he sighed in relief, "There's a big problem goin' down in Besaid."

"Yeah, we just heard about it over the sphere network. What's this about fiends pouring out of the temple?"

"I dunno...it started just a couple of days ago. It was early morning. I got up, and I noticed a fiend roamin' around the temple. I killed it fine...but then, three more came out of the temple's entrance."

"Man, that's crazy," Buddy claimed in surprise, "I even hear that the Youth League is in on this situation."

A loud scoff blasted from the speaker, "Oh man, don't get me started on that jerk Beclem!"

"I take it you and him don't get along." Buddy snickered.

"Hmph! He thinks just because he's from the Youth League, that he can take charge anytime he wants. Who needs them politickin' in Besaid, ya?"

"Is there anything we can do?" chimed in Paine, who had just walked over to Buddy's console.

"Wow, you actually want to lend your support to someone?" he gasped.

"Yeah, quit the sarcasm," she grumbled, "Besides, I might as well ask for Yuna, because we all know she'll want to help as soon as she hears about this."

Both Buddy and Wakka belted out laughs in tandem, each realizing the truth in Paine's words. Buddy shrugged his shoulders, and said they ought to gather up everyone else and find out if they should help.

The first one who fumbled to the bridge was Brother, who at least understood the situation after only the second explanation. Rikku and Yuna arrived together; they'd been eating up on the deck.

"What's going on guys?" Yuna asked.

"Yeah, what's up...it better be good for interrupting Yunie and me having lunch."

"Hey, that's some harsh talk comin' from a ditsy blond like yourself, eh." teased Wakka over the sphere.

Rikku ran over to the speak, gazing at it wildly, "Huh? Is that you Wakka?"

"It sure is Rikku. Ya know, I'm kinda glad to be hearin' your voices again...it's sure been a while."

"I guess it has. Sorry for not staying in touch more." apologized Yuna.

"Ah, don't worry about it. You got better things than to fret over me."

"Ahem..." interrupted Buddy, "Let's not get off track. Wakka called us up because Besaid is having a fiend problem."

"What's wrong Wakka...getting too fat and lazy to handle a couple fiends?" Rikku harassed, smiling idiotically at the sphere.

"Hey, hey, hey...that's not it at all. This is serious, ya. We got fiends running out of the temple left and right."

"Out of the temple?" burst Yuna in bewilderment, "I don't understand."

"We saw it from the sphere network. Apparently, there has been a whole slew of fiends coming out of the temple the past few days, just like in Kilika."

"That's right," continued Wakka, "a whole bunch of 'em. Me and the Aurochs were fighting them off for a while, but they just seem to be getting worse and worse. Then those lousy Youth Leaguers started stickin' their noses into it."

"We should go and help." stated Yuna bluntly.

"See," Paine grinned, jabbing Buddy in the side, "I told you she would."

"Ugh, yeah – we figured that would be the situation. For a small fee, we'd be more than happy to be of assistance."

"Hey, what do you mean – a small fee?" clamored Wakka.

Buddy tisked him, "We're sphere hunters, everything has a cost. Now, we're just...the Friendly Neighborhood Gullwings."

"That's a good one!" cheered Rikku, thrusting her arm into the air.

"Ok then, it's decided. Hang tight Wakka, as the Friendly Neighboring Gullwings will be in assisting you soon!" exclaimed an over-exuberant Brother, dancing around like a freak.

"Friendly Neighboring Gullwings?" shuttered Paine, "Why do we still let him stay on this ship..."

Buddy jumped into his seat, and set an immediate course for Besaid Island. Luckily they were flying near the vicinity of Besaid, so the journey only took a short time. It was approaching dusk when the Gullwings touched down on the beach. Wakka was already standing there, waiting for their arrival. He hobbled over to greet them.

"How ya doing there potbelly!" yelled Rikku to him.

"Now is that any way to treat an elder?" he casted back, laughing.

Walking up to him was Yuna, whom immediately threw her arms around him. It had been quite a while since she'd seen him last. Although not sharing Rikku's teasing sentiment, she had to agree that Wakka had put on a pound or two. She then promptly introduced him to Paine, Buddy, and Shinra. He already knew Brother, as he could recognize him by his less than intelligent demeanor...not to mention his eccentric array of tattoos.

"The village is pretty quite now. Fiends don't seem to come out as much after dark. At least we get some peace and quiet." joked Wakka, leading the Gullwings back to Besaid.

"That's good. It also gives us some time to figure out what's going on here." nodded Paine.

"Mmm...but first, you'll come and eat. Plus, we need to figure out where you'll be sleepin'." explained Wakka.

"I guess those idiots from the Youth League are hogging all the extra room." snarled Rikku, imagining herself sleeping under a tree.

Wakka clenched his fist at the thought of the Youth League, "You're tellin' me. All they do is come and take over. Just because they shoot a couple of fiends, they think they own the place."

"Well," laughed Yuna lightly, "now that we're here, I hope we can solve your problem."

"That's what I like to hear. But first, Lu will want to see you. She's missed you a lot." Wakka smiled.

Rikku bounced up next to Wakka, "Oh yeah, shouldn't Lulu be having the baby soon?"

"Yeah, that's right. I guess it's comin' any day now."

"Wow, no kidding. Are you sure you're ready to be a father, tubby."

Wakka flicked Rikku in the ear, "Hey now, I may not be in top shape, but that's got nothing to do with bein' a good father. Still, I'm real nervous about it."

"Oh...I guess it is a big responsibility. I'm sure you'll be a fine father." calmed Yuna, twinkling her pearly smile at Wakka.

"Thanks Yuna. But it still doesn't make me feel any better about it."

Reaching the crest of the large hill before the village, the Gullwings were finally able to see the small, yet beautiful place where Yuna had became a summoner. Yuna smiled, gazing at the small hovels she adored so much. Paine looked on curiously. Yuna had talked often about the gallant little place where she grew up. Just as she described, it was cozy, lull, and pleasant. It was no wonder in her mind as to why Yuna came to be the graceful and kind person she was.

A few villagers approached the group, instantly recognizing Yuna out of the crowd. She waved happily to them, as it had been some time since she visited last. Inhaling deeply, she filled her lungs with the sweet, tropical air of the island. Aside from the recent fiend outbreak, all seemed to be calm there.

Night began to shade them. The sky was a flurry of colors – a gigantic gradient of yellows, oranges, pinks, purples, and blues. The sun hovered over the distance of the ocean, getting ready to bid goodnight. Only a handful of fluffy, gray clouds hazed across the sky. A gentle breeze continued to gratify them. The girls hardly believed that a dilemma had outbroken here.

From one of the small hovels appeared Lulu, carefully journeying out to greet the Gullwings. Both Yuna and Rikku hugged her in parallel. Rikku rubbed her hand across Lulu's bulging belly, getting it smacked in the process. She flashed her a typical goofy grin, making Yuna giggle. Lulu shook her head, realizing that some things never change.

"It seems you girls have been having quite the fun little adventure." she stated, eying Yuna up approvingly.

Yuna nodded in response, "Well, it hasn't all been fun. But I can't complain."

"I'm glad to hear. I've been worrying about you."

"There's no need to do that," grinned Yuna, "you have enough on your own plate to handle...or should I say in your stomach."

"I suppose you're right. But there's still some time before this little guy comes out, though."

Rikku scratched her head in confusion, "Huh? But Wakka said you were gonna give birth any day now."

Lulu glimmered a smile, while shaking her head, 'Wakka is just a little excited, that's all. He's still not sure what to make of being a father yet."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll do alright...once he figures things out." laughed Rikku, poking Lulu in the gut again.

"Don't be so hard on him," she smiled, wrapping Rikku's hand once more, "he'll be just fine. Now then, let's go get you something to eat."

"Yippee!" shouted Rikku in joy, followed by a sharp rumble from her tummy.

In the center of the village, burned a large, blistering fire. Many of the villagers surrounded it, preparing a large quantity of delicious foods. The Aurochs were carving up meat left and right. By appearance alone, the scene pictured as a massive feast for a returning king. The girls were very humbled by the sight, not to mention the smell. Buddy and Shinra looked at each other, their tongues practically hanging out of their mouths. Least of all, Brother trampled over like a wild animal, ready to strike the first rack of meat he could paw over. Without notice, a tall man in a bird-helmet slipped in front of him.

"Hey mister...I was here first!" growled a starving Brother.

The man scoured back, "Hmph! Warriors eat first, freaks eat second."

A dark fire sparked in Brother's eyes. "Did someone just call him a freak?" tumbled through his mind. He clenched his fists, shaking in rage. Nobody called Brother a freak and lived to say it again.

"Fryd tet oui zicd cyo! Lusa rana oui pent-vylat cuh uv y... (What did you just say! Come here you bird-faced son of a...)"

"Hey, back off Beclem!" bellowed Wakka, shoving Beclem backwards.

"Big words for a second rate blitzball player." cackled Beclem, who was not intimidated by Wakka.

Now it was Wakka who became infuriated, "Excuse me! You wanna fight, I'll beat you into the ground!"

"As if you had the strength," he snarled, "you're not half the man your brother was..."

Both he and Wakka were suddenly jarred by a deafening gunshot. The piece of meat Beclem was holding splintered into chunks flying all over his face. He wiped off his helmet, and looked over to see Yuna pointing her pistol directly at him. Her face expressed all that needed to be understood.

"I don't know who you are, or what your problem is...but I will not have you stand there and insult my friends!" she yelled, peering hellishly at him.

For a moment, he stood frozen, still scared by the abrupt disintegration of his meat. He scoffed, and stammered away to the building the Youth League soldiers were bunked at.

"Wo-ho Yuna! I'd never expect you to do somethin' like that!" stated Wakka in half surprise, and half applause.

"Heh...sorry about the meat..." she whimpered apologetically.

Wakka shook his head and replied with approval, "Forget it. With brass like that, it should make you proud, ya?"

Lulu shook her head (definitely not in approval); however, the Gullwings crew certainly agreed with Wakka. Seeing Yuna taking names made Rikku happy – she always enjoyed a crazy-angry Yunie.

"Hey, there just might be hope for you yet, Yuna." smiled Paine, giving Yuna a pat on the back.

Her face turned blush, as she was partially embarrassed by her sudden outburst. That was something more akin to Paine and Rikku. Perhaps she was different, if just a little, than when she last was in Besaid.

Beyond the incident, the rest of dinner went without flaw. The girls enjoyed the rich and delicious food cooked by the villagers. Buddy and Brother told stories of the days when they salvaged old machina parts. Shinra attempted to explain the advantage of pre-calculating shot trajectories to the Aurochs, although they hadn't a clue as to what he was talking about. No more was the rude attitudes heard from the Youth Leaguers, Yuna had made sure of that.

With night upon them, the villagers parted their ways. Rikku and Paine slumped on the floor of Wakka and Lulu's house, snuggling up in a pair of sleeping bags. Brother, Buddy, and Shinra stayed in the local shopkeeper's place.

Yuna was walking alongside Lulu, enjoying a long conversation she wished to have with her for too long a time. Lulu had always been her adviser of sorts. She looked up to her as a big sister – even now. While Lulu, although losing no affection towards Yuna, considered themselves on equal terms. Still, she secretly delighted in talking with Yuna more than she would ever let on to.

The night air was cool, moving freely across Yuna's face. Stars twinkled in the perfectly clear sky. The bluish tint cast over the flora and fauna shrouded the village from sight. This gave Yuna a calming sense of privacy. There was much on her mind she had been dying to discuss with somebody.

"How has your journey been going so far?" asked Lulu, conveying the obvious question.

"Hmm...good, I suppose." replied Yuna concisely, not sure how to answer her.

Lulu put her hand on Yuna's shoulder, "You don't seem to sure of yourself."

"It's not that I'm not happy," sighed Yuna, gazing at the ground, "it's just...I'm getting anxious."

"That's understandable. You want to see Tidus again...anyone would feel the same way."

"I know. But, I also see the problems that are building up all over Spira. That's kind of been bothering me too."

Lulu sat down on a large rock, the sound of the waterfall echoed in the background. She looked intently at Yuna, pausing to collect her thoughts.

"Yuna, you have to let go of worrying about the problems of others. I understand you like to help others...I know it makes you feel good...but just don't lose sight of your own goals."

With a deep sigh, Yuna nodded, "Sometimes, I just can't help myself. And also...I'm not sure if this whole adventure is really going to solve anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Well...I have no idea if I can truly get Tidus back or not. In reality, I have no more idea than when I started. There's no path, no destination...it's like I'm running around in circles. The only thing I uncover is the frailty of the Calm I helped create."

"I see your point," agreed Lulu apprehensively, "as you found out earlier, there's a lot of tension between many factions in Spira – most notably the Youth League and New Yevon."

"Right, it's getting worse by the day."

"My suggestion is to just keeping doing what you're doing. Always remember what's most important to you. You left Besaid to find Tidus. Therefore, getting him back into your arms should be your number one priority."

"If that's even possible...I don't have an answer for that. Which is why I'm so uncertain. It bothers me every single day. Each time we find a sphere that isn't the key to him, I lose a little bit of hope."

Lulu sighed, feeling the anxiety exuding from her words, "I don't need to tell you this, but nothing in life worth chasing after is easy...or certain. The only thing you can do is treasure what ever hope you have, and hold it tightly."

"Yes...but..."

"No buts! Stand firm by your own desires. Help others along the way if you can, but don't become overwhelmed by them. You've already saved all of Spira once. Doing it again is far too much to ask for...Spira will have to save itself."

"You're right Lulu. As tough as that is, it's what I have to do. Still, from everybody I've met on this little escapade, I've certainly had a lot of fun. Once I can get over my own self-doubt, I'll be stronger."

Lulu looked at Yuna in favor, "I believe you're already well on your way to that. It seems without me around, you're begun to spread your wings."

Yuna chuckled at Lulu's peculiar metaphor. Nonetheless, she found great truth in her words. As always, talking to Lulu gave her much comfort. She smiled, and then yawned, stretching her arms out into the air. Lulu laughed, and suggested they'd better get back, else Yuna will end up passing out.

Patting her on the head, Lulu smiled to herself. She was happy that Yuna was finally becoming the strong woman she always knew she was capable of being. Worry still carried with her, as she realized Yuna constantly put herself in less than desirable situations. Irregardless, all Lulu could do was help guide her any way she possibly could.

Yuna entered Lulu's hovel, and laid down next to Paine. Faint sounds of Wakka's snoring made her laugh inwardly. Closing her eyes, she reflected upon what Lulu had told her. Becoming stronger, believing in herself, focusing on her desires – perhaps she had a long way to go in changing herself. Then again, she didn't want to lose who she was either. The future was uncertain, but that was no different from any other day. All she knew, was that she would reunite with her love. With his face in her mind, she lulled off to a peaceful sleep. Tomorrow would be a hectic day.

* * *

_**Next chapter:** After having a nice, long talk with Lulu, Yuna's ready to dissolve Besaid's terrible fiend problem. However, she finds that Beclem is ready to burn the temple down. Not wanting to lose her precious memories, she dashes in to hurry and exterminate the fiends. What she discovers is far worse than anything she had ever expected._


	17. Chapter 17 – Bravado

**Chapter 17 – Bravado**

**Note (4/24/05):** Once again I'm doing a little maintenance to the chapters. I'll be doing this every 5 chapter or so to fix any errors or story tweaks.

* * *

Dawn arose to a bout of commotion. The sound of frantically bustling villagers wakened Yuna from her slumber. She, as well as Rikku and Paine, heard a panicked crowd outside the hovel. Rubbing her eyes, Yuna rolled out of her sleeping bag. She crawled over to the doorway, peering her baggy eyes outside to see what was happening. She spotted a bunch of villagers huddled over by the temple area. Noticing their disfavor for something, Yuna yawned, and scuttled outside.

Rikku had rolled back over and fell asleep. Paine was sitting, still drowsy from sleeping. She scratched her head, and gazed around the room. She hadn't noticed Yuna already left, and laid back down, dozing off into sleep.

Meanwhile, Yuna, with pistols by her side, walked over to the group of villagers. As she approached, she heard sounds of complaints and pleas. Not sure what to make of the commotion, she braced herself for something bad.

"You can't burn down our temple!" commanded one of the angry villagers, raising his fist.

"Right! We don't care if you don't like Yevon...this place holds a lot of precious memories for us!" yelled another tempered voice.

Yuna flinched at the notion of burning down the Besaid Temple. She wondered to herself what possibly could be going on. Cutting through the crowd, she eventually spotted the Youth League leader wearing a bird-helmet, standing on the steps before the temple's entrance.

"Will you continue to let the fiends torment your village?" he asked in a rumbling tone.

The villagers fell silent. With a sneering voice, Beclem told them to stop being foolish, and promptly went inside the temple. Not to let an impending tragedy occur, Yuna gathered her courage, and followed behind him. She was ready to stop him from setting the temple ablaze, any way necessary.

However, Beclem did nothing but rapidly tap his foot, constantly glaring up to the Cloister of Trials entrance. For some reason, he stood impatiently waiting for something. Yuna believed now was her best time to confront him.

"Why do you want to see this place burn so badly?" she barked, sternly walking up towards Beclem.

He grunted, "The summoner...I'd figure you'd show up sooner or later."

Yuna stared wrathfully at Beclem, "Answer me! Don't you understand what kind of memories this place holds for the villagers?"

"It's typical of a Yevonite to talk about memories. Is the risk to the village worth keeping these 'precious memories?' What would happen if those you love here ended up dying because of your selfish wish?" he retorted brazenly.

Yuna chocked back her boiling anger. Her breathe was thick and heavy. Her fists were clenched, her veins blistered with uncontrollable rage.

"I will protect them both – my memories and my loved ones!"

Beclem moved closer to Yuna, he face implacably harsh, "Will you? A puny little girl like you..?"

Without hesitation, Yuna slapped her hand across Beclem's face. He stood, and rubbed his hand against his freshly bruised cheek. He murmured a cocky little chuckle under his breath.

"I supposed I deserved that," he said, his lips cracked into a smile, "you're a lot better looking than a little girl."

"Is that all you can do..." huffed Yuna, her eyes sharply fixated with his, "stand there and belittle me?"

He chuckled again to himself, rubbing his nose a twitch, "That is all I can do. That idiot Wakka is in their fighting. Since he's got a kid coming, I'd hate to burn him up."

"W-Wakka's in there?" asked a stunned Yuna.

"Yeah...you might want to get him out of there before he ends up hurting himself. But – I won't wait forever."

Yuna nodded, and ran up the stairs, pushing open the door to the Cloister. Beclem took a step closer to Yuna, outstretching his hand.

"Show me, Yuna...the power of your memories. Show me if it's truly worth vesting in..."

Yuna didn't bother to acknowledge his jest, but kept running into the Cloister. She hustled down the flight of stairs, and through the corridors to where she found Wakka slumped on the floor. Gasping, she rushed over to him. He groaned, looking up to see who was there. He smiled when realizing it was Yuna, then let out another awful groan.

"Wakka...Wakka! Are you alright?" she asked, kneeling down in front of him.

"Yeah, I'll be ok. Just got a little beat up, that's all." he muttered, holding his arm.

Yuna pained in seeing him battered like he was. He had bruises all over his arms and chest. Otherwise, to her relief, he seemed unhurt. He motioned for Yuna to help him to his feet. With a grunt and a groan, Wakka was partially standing under his own recognizance.

"Thanks Yuna. Now forget about me. You gotta go and save the temple." he whispered softly, taking a prickling step forwards.

Yuna shook her head, "I can't. You're hurt..."

"No way am I gonna let a couple of fiends get me down," he said with a more boisterous sound, "You can't let Beclem burn down the temple. Please, it's up to you. I'm a tough one anyway, eh?"

She agreed apprehensively, and watched Wakka hobble around the corner. Putting her hand to her face, she let out an exasperated sigh, brushing her hair back. The last thing she wanted to do was let Wakka go back alone – especially since he was hurt. But Wakka was right; she had to end the fiends now before Beclem torched the temple. She wished she had time to get Rikku and Paine, but even that option wasn't possible. The only thing left to do was go forward.

She walked over to the platform which descended to the Chamber of the Fayth. It had been well over two years since she last worshiped in the chamber...two years since she prayed to the Fayth for a way to defeat Sin. Now, the only thing she needed answered was how many bullets would be needed to kill all the fiends. The platform shuttered momentarily, and slowly lowered Yuna downwards.

Just as she remembered it, the Chamber of the Fayth appeared the same. A murmuring emanated from behind its closed doors. The voices seemed familiar, but she couldn't place her finger on who. Whoever or whatever it was, it definitely didn't seem pleasant. Nonetheless, she pressed forward. There was no other option but to see and kill the intruders. Cautiously she maneuvered to the large, stone doors. In her right arm, she held a pistol. Then, with the other arm, she pushed open the door, immediately holding her gun out in front of her.

To her unimaginable surprise, she gazed the sight of a tall, blond-haired man. His sleeves had a red and black checkered pattern with a yellow undershirt, clashing heavily with his black shorts. She gasped out loud, not believing how familiar he appeared. At first, she thought it might be him, but quickly realized that false. Still, she recognized his face.

"Of course...you're from that picture I saw in Zanarkand!" she exclaimed, drawing the attention of another man standing beside him.

The man she recognized from the picture vanished, not even turning around to look at Yuna. Nevertheless, the other man granted her his undivided attention.

"I've been waiting for you to come." stated the man, dressed in priestly robes.

"No way! There's no way you should still be in Spira Kinoc!" Yuna declared, refusing to believe what she witnessed with her own eyes.

"Heh, you thought I would go so easily. Not after what Seymour did to me." the ex-Maester Kinoc laughed devilishly.

"You should have been sent with all the other victims of Seymour. Especially as vicious as you were."

"Discouraging words from such a beautiful summoner...or should I say ex-summoner. But don't concern yourself with me. It is you who will be going very soon." he peered heinously, sending a cold chill through Yuna's spine.

"W-what are you planning? I know you and that man are conspiring to use Vegnagun."

"As yes...Bevelle's ancient weapon of destruction. It's only a catalyst for what were are going to do. He wants to take revenge on those who tore him from his lover. I want to capture Spira in my grasp, and subject it to my rule. And as it happened, it became lucrative that we both combine forces."

Yuna clamped her fists tight, half paralyzed in fear from the ghostly sight of Kinoc, "I won't let you. I will banish you from Spira if I must!"

Kinoc let out a rumbling roar, "Try if you want! You're far to feeble to defeat us. I know, how about you meet an old ally of yours..."

Kinoc evaporated from sight, disappearing from the chamber completely. In his place phased in an all too familiar friend from the past. Yuna covered her face, as its swooping wings kicked up dust, clouding her vision. But she didn't need to see to determine what was in front of her. She couldn't believe it possible - her old aeon, Valefor, flew before her. She chocked back her tears, partly from the dust, partly from inside.

Valefor stood for no rekindling, as it darted downward, nearly pecking off Yuna's head. A million thoughts burst through her mind; she had no idea what to do. It was only two years ago that Valefor was her trusty aeon and protector. This same aeon, seething before her, had helped saved her from Seymour in Bevelle. Now, it teemed with the desire to crush her.

Yuna scrambled around her former comrade, still unsure of what to do. Valefor took no pity on her indecisiveness, as he charged up. Swirls of colored energy encircled its body. A sudden stream shot across the floor, all but inches away from Yuna's feet. It scorched a deep, smoldering groove into the stone flooring.

By now, she realized if her determination didn't kick in, she wouldn't make it out alive. Pulling out her other pistol, she fired both guns directly into Valefor's mass. The creature shrieked, but didn't die. Instead, he swooped down again, jolting Yuna into the wall with its claws. She bounced hard off the stone corner, screeching hideously from the pain. Blood poured from a large gash in her shoulder, part of the bone protruded from the skin.

She coughed out some dirt and dust, tightly holding her wound with her other arm. She had not the time to even look at her injury, as Valefor readied a magical attack. A blast of flames engulfed the corner which Yuna had just fled. She ran in front of the aeon, and raised with her damaged arm, firing three shots into its head.

Valefor hissed as it threw its head back in pain. The bullets this time had an effect, yet the raging beast was far from dead. Yuna clenched her gun into her mouth, desperately attempting to reload it while dodging Valefor's attacks. Her wound opened further, with more blood running down her arm. A hunk of flesh hinged from the naked bone, holding on by a thread. She now began to cough up some blood, her sight hazed. But she refused to die by her own protector.

Clicking back her freshly loaded gun, she darted around Valefor as fast as her fatigued legs would take her. This time, she unloaded with both her guns, not caring how much bloodletting she would incur from her gaping wound. Valefor began to sway, also severely injured from Yuna's many shots. It charged up for one last energy blast. Yuna eyes widened, as she knew she'd die by its assault – she was nearly losing consciousness.

Instead of readying her dodge, she slumped to the floor. No longer could she see her impending doom, she fell over dead. Valefor paused its charge, examining the inanimate body of Yuna. From behind the flying creature stabbed the end of a large sword. It belted a gruesome howl, shooting a stream of pyreflies from its sliced back. Another blast finally put it down. Valefor plummeted to the ground, crying out one last time before it became lifeless.

Paine and Yuna stood, petrified by the sight of their fallen comrade. Rikku teared up, and screamed to the top of her lungs. With tears in her eyes as well, Paine walked over to Yuna's body, kneeling down to see if she truly was gone. Her hand crept slowly to Yuna's face. It took all her will to even come close – the sight of blood surrounding her body made Paine gag. But all was not lost, as she jumped backwards when Yuna twitched, and exerted a shallow cough.

"She's alive...she's alive! Rikku, hurry and help me carry her back to the village!" Paine yelled, racing to lift Yuna off the floor.

"Yunie? Yunie! It's a miracle, you are alive!" Rikku called in fanatical happiness.

Yuna could only let out a soft groan, as she faded in and out of consciousness. The world around her was dark – not black, but a blurry, blurry gray. Then, wispy rays of white smothered her mind. A voice rang out from a distant realm of her persona.

"Don't give up yet...I love you..."

As quickly as she was consumed in white, did Yuna open her eyes. At first glance, everything was fuzzy. Then her vision cleared, and she saw the relieved sights of her friends, all huddled by her side.

"Am I dead...is this...paradise?"

The goofy face of Rikku got real close to her own, "Not really, especially since Wakka has a tacky sense of decoration."

To reaffirm, she heard the hardy, unmistakable laugh of Wakka, "Yeah, you're alive. But you cut it real close, ya."

"I wonder whose fault that is!" yelled Lulu, nearly burning a hole in Wakka with her wrathful gaze.

Wakka slumped on the ground, a tear forming in his eye. Yuna tried to raise her arm, but cringed at the sharp pain which shot up her nerves. She then calmed herself, and decided on speaking instead.

"Please don't blame him. I had to do what I did." she spoke with a whisper's indignation.

"It's all that Beclem's fault! I ought to slice his throat for all the..." roared Paine, but getting cut off.

"No!" chocked Yuna, boosting her voice, "No...he wanted to burn the temple for good reason. Maybe not a popular one, but it was one he still believed he had to make."

The hovel fell silent. As much as they hated Beclem, and his seemingly monomaniacal obsession to burn the temple – he was right. The intelligent thing was to destroy the temple, and not to risk the entire village over distant memories.

"On the contrary, Lady Yuna," came a voice from the entrance, "it, too, is as much my fault as anyone else's."

The voice was Beclem's, who stood at the entrance with a weary expression. He sighed, and walked towards the bed. Paine wanted to butcher him in fury, but held back. He knelt down beside the bed, his head facing the ground. Then, he raised his mouth level with Yuna.

"It seems memories, at least some of them, are worth protecting at great risk. I was wrong about you...now I know why you are the summoner who defeated Sin." he whispered somberly in Yuna's ear.

Without pause, he rose to his feet, and abruptly left the hovel. Yuna stared at the ceiling blankly for a moment, then closed her eyes, and formed a faint smile. No one else in the room heard what Beclem said – no one asked. It was favorable to Yuna, and that was all that mattered.

For the remainder of the day, and the next, all was entirely tranquil. The Gullwings were still melancholy about Yuna's near-death incident. They also pondered on what she witnessed down in the Chamber of the Fayth. And, while Rikku was a little foggy about it, what was Yuna's former aeon doing there? More to the point, as brought up by Shinra – how was it possible for it to be there?

For the next three weeks, Yuna recovered at her home island. As the days went by, she regained her health. Shinra and Lulu had devised quite the sling for her arm. Along with some daily ointments, it healed in no time. Secretly, she enjoyed this extended hiatus. She truly missed her home, and its peace. While new adventures breathed refreshing air into her lungs, the cool, crisp breeze of Besaid reminded her of its sense of home, and the peace it brought.

She also got to examine Beclem's new mission in Besaid – training the Aurochs. Marching and practicing from dusk to dawn, he worked the Aurochs like slaves. Yuna and Paine couldn't help but laugh as they watched them do laps around the beach.

The two girls had been discussing a lot of things since Yuna's fling with death. Yuna had asked why she turned to a sudden interest in talking.

"I don't know...I guess..." she began, although not sure of how to finish.

"Go no." led Yuna, waiting patiently for Paine to continue.

"I guess with almost losing you, it made me realize how sudden we all could die. I suppose doing things you want to, while you're still alive, is something crucial."

Yuna gazed off into the ocean's horizon, "Hmm...I suppose you're right. It's kind of scary...I don't even understand how close I really came to dying."

"What do you mean? Surely you must have been afraid."

Yuna shook her head, "Not really. When you feel you're about to go, everything becomes cloudy. You lose all your senses...it all goes blank. Except I did hear..."

"You heard something?"

Yuna looked down at her lap, "No...nevermind."

Paine, while curious, pushed the thought out of her mind. She was still preoccupied with thinking about her own life, and what she wanted to do with it. As the ocean waves crashed upon the beach, Yuna and Paine continued their conversation. Each were happy to talk to each other like this; each realizing the importance of understanding their friends, before it might be too late.

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_**Next chapter: **With Besaid saved and Yuna back to full health, the Gullwings launch off to yet another temple. Yes, back to Kilika Temple again to exterminate fiends. This time, they run into a war zone, far worse than before. And in the depths of the temple lurks yet another former ally of Yuna's..._


	18. Chapter 18 – Out of the Fire

**Chapter 18 – Out of the Fire...**

**Note (4/24/05):** Once again I'm doing a little maintenance to the chapters. I'll be doing this every 5 chapter or so to fix any errors or story tweaks.

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It was time to leave the breezy-free life in Besaid behind. After taking nearly a month for rest and recovery, Yuna felt revitalized. She hated to go; she had just become comfortable with the easy island life. But, as Lulu said, life is full of constant change. The Gullwings were pumped and ready to head back into action.

Yuna's stint with death, however, gave them a greater appreciation to subsistence. It was agreed that going in with guns blazing wasn't always the best method. Nonetheless, Yuna herself didn't share these sentiments. She felt no change from her nearly fatal battle – at least in respect to life and death. While she knew she should have been rocked to the core, she felt neither fear nor anguish. The only thing she pondered became that voice. It played fuzzy in her mind, but she held it enough to realize its surrealistic importance.

"Don't give up yet...I love you..."

The voice, that of a woman, tormented her for the many days she had laid in bed rehabilitating. And even after, it repeated itself for Yuna's puzzlement. To herself, she knew she had heard that voice before. Belonging to someone so close, she felt, yet so distant. It made absolutely no sense to Yuna – what voice, especially that of a woman she had never met, could be as important as to tell her she loves her when she was about to die? Pushing it aside, she tried not to drive herself mad with the thought. But, combining it with her mysterious dreams, she couldn't help but wonder.

It was the hope of new adventure that did relieve her. The sea was sparkling gorgeously the morning the Gullwings left. A cheery, warm sun protruded its bright rays of light upon the beach. The sand glistened, and the trees swayed in perfect tandem. It made the girls, as well as the guys, a bit saddened to leave.

"Don't you worry, ya – ol' Wakka's got everything under control now." bragged none other than Wakka, waving goodbye to the girls.

"You still need to get in better shape!" teased Rikku, walking up the platform to the Celsius.

"Yeah...only if you get a little more intelligent." he chuckled back, making a funny face mimicking Rikku's.

Lulu shook her head, "Some people never grow up."

"Well, sometimes that's a good thing." laughed Yuna to Lulu.

Lulu held Yuna on the shoulder, "Take care Yuna. Try to keep yourself from suicide missions, or you'll end up worrying me and Wakka to death."

Yuna smiled, "I will...don't worry."

"Hey...it was nice meeting you guys," Wakka waved, "come back any time ya here."

"We'll be sure to." answered Paine with a hint of a smile, "This place is real...cozy."

Wakka rumbled out a laugh as he watched Paine and Buddy enter the ship. Brother came bustling up with two suitcases in his hands. He nearly tripped and killed himself by stumbling going up the platform. Lulu and Wakka looked at each other, only flashing a smile to one other.

"Oh...um, yes very good Wakka and Lulu. I have quite enjoyed my stay here. See you all soon!" he bumbled, attempting to regain his posture.

Once Brother was aboard, the Celsius set for the air. The ship's powerful engines roared as it left the sandy beach of Besaid. Rikku and Paine looked out of the bridge's windows, watching Lulu and Wakka turn to little specks in the distance. Shinra wasted no time, as he was already checking out the sphere waves. Too bad he didn't find anything. His map of Spira's sphere waves was entirely blank.

"No problem." cheered up Buddy, "we'll just go investigating. We're bound to turn up something."

"Where do you wanna check?" asked Rikku, peering over Shinra's shoulder.

Everyone stood without opinion, and collectively shrugged their shoulders. Then in parallel, they all laughed at each other.

"Some sphere hunters we are. We can't even decide on a place to look for clues. Man we got lazy." giggled Rikku, smacking Yunie on the back.

Yuna let out a huff, "Whoa, easy their Rikku."

"Oops, sorry Yunie..." grinned Rikku repentantly.

At this point, Paine rolled her eyes and figured this would go on for a while. She poked Shinra on the head and asked him to turn on the sphere monitor. Gladly complying, Shinra popped on the boob tube, finding a messy situation on another nearby island. As reported by the beloved Shelinda, their was more chaos erupting in Kilika.

"And now, more on the struggle between New Yevon and The Youth League."

An overlay accompanied by overly dramatic music came on the screen with the words "Conflict in Kilika" and some cheesy special effects. Paine sighed, not really wanting to see more about either of those two factions. Still, she figured she might as well watch a little.

"Anarchy has descended on Kilika. Two days ago, another outbreak of fiends from the temple occurred. Except this time, it was much, much worse." Shelinda reported with tension.

She continued, "For reasons unknown, yesterday the guards from New Yevon closed off access to the temple, trapping many residents of Kilika from the town. This has triggered a near riotous situation. Members of the Youth League are demanding answers, but none are being delivered. Their could be a full-scale war in Kilika at any moment. More on this at five..."

Shinra clicked off the sphere monitor. Paine shook her head, and let out a frustrated grunt.

"Give me a break...did any of you guys catch that?" she questioned over to the rest of the crew.

"No, what is it Paine?" Yuna asked with concern, walking over to her.

"It seems that New Yevon and The Youth League are about ready to pop. And get this – there are fiends coming out of the Kilika Temple again."

Yuna's expression grew dark, "You're kidding. But we got rid the fiends from there."

"Well, I guess there's more now."

"It must be Kinoc's doing..." thought Yuna to herself gravely.

Now Rikku fumbled over, "So, do you wanna help. I can only imagine what poor Barthello and Dona are going through."

Yuna nodded, "Since we are the 'Friendly Neighborhood Gullwings' now, I suppose we can lend a hand – especially for Dona and Barthello's sakes."

"Maybe it'll also shut New Yevon and The Youth League up for once." growled Paine under her breath.

The rest of the Gullwings agreed. Buddy got to calculating the fees while Brother set course. Shinra tapped into the sphere waves again, trying to find out more on the situation. Yuna went over to the window, pondering on what could be lurking in Kilika's temple. Many possibilities came to mind - all of them gave her the chills. She also wondered if Kinoc was in Kilika. She was almost certain this would be his doing. She also wanted to tell everyone else about him. For the long month she stayed in Besaid, she hadn't spoken a word to what she witnessed in the Chamber of the Fayth. Every time she wanted to, something inside her held her back. But the time for thinking was short, as the Celsius touched down in Kilika's docks.

They were greeted by as much chaos and anger as Shelinda reported. In the far distance, the girls could see a blistering crowd protesting in front of the town's main gate. The situation was truly as bad as they feared. They walked up towards the gate, noticing numerous townspeople plastered with frustration on their faces. A menacing presence hung in the air. All of the town seemed infuriated. A child came up to the girls crying.

"I wanna s-see my s-sister." he whimpered with tears flooding his eyes.

Yuna knelt down to comfort him, "What is happening?"

"They closed off the road to the temple. My sister was at the temple, and now she's trapped there." he continued, all the while sobbing profusely.

Yuna rubbed his head, "There, there now...don't worry. I'm sure you'll see your sister soon."

The little boy began to stop crying, peering up at Yuna's wholesome smile. He nodded, and then ran away as quickly as he came. She rose, a melancholy frown appeared on her face, matching that of Rikku's. Paine had a look of detestation on herself.

"I can't believe the Yevonites are pulling this little stunt," growled Paine, "what are they thinking?"

"This is ridiculous. They don't have the right to block off the temple from the town!" added Rikku angrily.

Yuna remained silent, still dispirited in expression. She wholeheartedly agreed with Paine and Rikku. Although, she wasn't sure how to approach a situation like this. Certainly barging through the gate wouldn't work. Then, an idea popped into her mind.

"I think we ought to find Dona." she suggested concisely.

Paine nodded, "I think so too, although I'm not sure how she can help."

The Gullwings kept moving up the town, and over to where Dona's house was. They climbed the stairs, listening to the nearby hollering and cursing happening by the gate. With a knock, they stood in front of Dona's home. She came to the door and chuckled immediately at the sight of the girls.

"Well, well...what brings you to town at a time like this?" she commented sarcastically.

"I think you very much know why." Yuna replied, with a sarcastic tone of her own.

"Besides, aren't you worried about Barthello?" questioned Rikku bluntly, putting her arms over her head.

"Hmph! That idiot wants to side with New Yevon, let him be stuck in the temple. If he would have been a good boy and listened to me, he would have been fine!" belted Dona.

"You mean you're not the least bit worried?" poked Yuna, not buying Dona's dramatics.

"Huh? Right, whatever... Besides, there's nothing you guys can do about this."

"Not necessarily," argued Paine, "if we could get to the temple..."

Dona shook her head hard, "Nope, no way you can do that. New Yevon has blocked all passage to and from the temple. Only Yevon members can pass."

"Aw, c'mon," pleaded Rikku with big, puppy dog eyes, "can't you do something?"

With a sigh, Dona thought to herself for a moment, "Well...there might be a chance. Listen here...there are two guards at the gate. I can distract the one with my good charm. The other one will be periodically letting Yevon members through. At that time, dart past the gate as fast as you can."

The girls shrugged, and conceded to the plan. Dona left the house first, but not before fixing herself up beforehand. The girls went to the other side of the gate entrance, and hid behind some large crates. Dona, primping herself well, sauntered up to the guard on the left. The girls watched on as they marveled at Dona working her magic.

Not before long, a New Yevon soldier came from the town. The guard saluted, and ordered for the gate to be opened. Knowing this was their opportunity, the girls readied themselves for a sprint. However, the other guard was still looking onward, instead of at Dona. Tapping her foot, she growled and again tried to regain the guard's attention. She began flirting severely with him, giving the guard a wink and a smile. This got his attention fast, as he turned around in an instant.

By now the gate was opened and the path clear. Paine shouted a "three," and the girls went racing for the gate. They made it fine, but the guard in the tower noticed them. He shouted for the gate to be closed, but it was too late.

"Screw it!" bellowed Rikku, as the girls hauled non-stop from the gate into the forest.

Once comfortably surrounded with the thick trees in the woods, the girls stopped their marathon run. Each one was bent over huffing and puffing, nearly passed out.

"Remind me..." panted Rikku, "to never...do that...again..."

After regaining their breath, they now found themselves dodging the frequent patrols sent throughout the forest. Cleverly they hid amongst the trees, even climbing up and over some. The hard part, brought up by Yuna, would be getting up the stairs to the temple. Luckily, in one of the bushes they buried themselves in, they overheard two of the guards communicating.

"Look here son, for the last time, here's the password system." grilled a sergeant to a little private.

"Y-yes sir! I won't forget this time!" he replied grievously with a bad salute.

The sergeant continued, "Right then. If there are an even number of guards posted, use the password 'craven monkey.' And if there are an odd number of guards, use the password 'carved monkey.' You got that son?"

"Monkeys?" he whimpered, scratching his head.

That was all the girls needed to know. After pulling a "Rambo," and ravaging through the plants (and various wildlife), they made it to the temple steps. Immediately they were halted by a pair of guards.

"You...uh, what is the password?" the one guard asked, listening with absolute intent.

"Um, er...it's 'craven...monkey?'" eked out Yuna meekly.

"Correct! Carry on!" the other one answered, stepping aside to allow them passage.

Relived, the girls happily darted up the steps.

"Nice job Yunie!" Rikku cheered, glad to not get shot up.

However, they were far from finished with show and tell. They were stopped again by another group of soldiers.

"Hold please, state the password." ordered one of the guards.

Yuna began to count, but then two more guards walked up with the current group. Paine, becoming extremely impatient with the password game, bolted out in front of Yuna.

"It's 'carved' ok? Not stop monkeying around and get the hell out of our way!" she blasted, nearly making all the guards wet themselves.

"Um...yes of course ma'am!" one of the frightened guards uttered feebly, moving out of the way with haste.

"That's better..."

And with that outburst, the girls continued to the temple's entrance, finding many panicking bystanders in amongst the few guards. Many appeared to be not members of Yevon, but regular people who got caught in the disorder. The girls attempted to enter the temple. One of the guards stepped out in front of them.

"You can't enter, it's too dangerous in there." he commanded, holding his hand out in front of him.

"What in Spira is going on!" desperately asked Yuna.

The guard sighed, "A few days ago, fiends appeared from the temple again. But this time, it was like an invasion force – there were so many! Many of my comrades are either injured or dead now."

"Then I assume you're very shorthanded?" questioned Paine in obviousness.

"Yes, of course. Since these fiends are so difficult, we had to block access, which diverted more troops to the town."

"Then we'll go in. Leave it to us!" bolstered Yuna, as she, Rikku, and Paine leaped into the temple.

Upon entering the temple, they found many wounded soldiers laying on the floor. Those less injured were tending to their needs. The stench of blood filled the air. Into the next room, they noticed a pair of old machina weapons. They were partially rusted, and definitely out of their prime. They kept moving, trying to keep the images of bloody bodies out of their minds. In the next room was Barthello, standing alongside some more machina weapons.

"Barthello!" exclaimed Rikku.

He jumped, and quickly turned to face the girls, "Yuna...Rikku...Paine? W-why are you here?" he asked half-startled.

"To find out what's going on in Kilika. And to find you." conveyed Paine.

"Right! Dona's really worried about you...even if she didn't come out and say it." amended Rikku.

"I really disappointed Dona. She and I haven't seen eye to eye in such a long time. I hope she'll forgive me..." cried Barthello depressingly.

"I'm sure she will," answered Yuna, "but right now, we need to get through the temple. Please, stay here and let us handle things."

Barthello nodded, "Thank you. We really needed your help. Take care!"

The girls continued their trek through the temple. Once they left Barthello, they came across numerous fiends. Much to their dismay and confusion, many of the fiends weren't even indigenousness to Kilika. Still, that didn't matter to Yuna's bullets or Paine's sword. Hacking their way through the droves of fiends, they approached the Chamber of the Fayth.

Yuna's muscles tensed up. A sickly feeling rumbled in her stomach. She knew, whatever was in the Chamber was causing the fiend outbreak. Images of Valefor fluttered in her mind. She positively didn't want to find another of her own former aeons. Yet, in the back of her mind, she knew that she could very well have to fight again.

She herself gripped the handle to the door, and ripped it open. The sight cast upon them shook each one down to the core. Yuna was correct, she would have to fight another protector. A blast of heat raged around them. Yuna's eyes reflected the fiery red flames igniting off the beast. She clenched her guns, and prepared to fight.

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_**Next chapter: **The Gullwings next opponent is again an all too familiar presence. But Ifrit has nothing in it anymore than the burning desire to kill them, not to mention a few hidden surprises surrounding its appearance._


	19. Chapter 19 – and into the Frying Pan

**Chapter 19 - ...and into the Frying Pan**

_I suppose I ought to reiterate the fact that I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters. Square-Enix owns all them rights. It's been a long while since I've done that, so I thought it might be a good thing to do. :)_

_Anyway, while I'm blabbering, any and all comments are much appreciated. Tell me stuff, any kind of stuff (expect flames). Asides from that, enjoy..._

_**Note: **This chapter contains some more than typical descriptive violence and bloodshed. Be forewarned, as I'm rating this chapter **Teen (13+)**._

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Wisps of smoking heat swirled around the girls, who were too completely dumbfounded to even notice them. Yuna was the first to regain her sense. She at least had been partially prepared to face another one of her former aeons. Searching around the room, she tried to spot Kinoc, but he wasn't there. All that stood before them was the snarling flames of Ifrit.

"What, how is this even possible?" exasperated Rikku, her eyes bulging wide.

Paine paralleled her outburst, "Isn't that one of your aeons Yuna!"

Yuna didn't reply, but instead readied herself for a fight. She moved into the Chamber with hesitation. No amount of preparation could make the sickening sense of disgust leave her stomach. The feeling of killing her own aeons shook to her very heart. Nevertheless, she knew Ifrit wouldn't just back down. The aeons were no longer what they used to be.

The girls formed a triad – Paine in the front, Yuna to the left, and Rikku to the right. Thrusting in first, Paine pointed her large sword forward without fear. Yuna shot at the fiery beast from afar, while Rikku lobbed a grenade behind it. In swift motion, Paine sword sliced with tenacity, ripping up the flaming body if Ifrit. It roared in pain, slapping its enormous paws at her. Paine wouldn't be taken down very easily, as she slid out of the way of its arm's range.

But, fluttering about only agitated the beast, as it shot its head to the ceiling, thunder a gigantic growl. Yuna covered her ears, a tear forming from her eye. She still hesitated to fight her friend. The friend she gained in this very chamber. Rikku was not so apprehensive, as she charged around to the right of Ifrit. Her small swords torn into the side of its flesh. The aeon screeched, leaping to avoid Rikku's slashing.

The girls appeared to be winning with ease. But a sudden, rumbling laugh echoed throughout the chamber. Yuna froze instantly, knowing all to well who the laugh belonged to. An image of Kinoc loomed above Ifrit; his maniacal smile looked down on them with hysteria.

"Do you really think it would be that easy, Lady Yuna?" he chuckled, gazing fear into the girls.

"Kinoc? N-no way...you're dead!" gasped Rikku, not believing what she saw.

Again he rumbled with psychotic laughter, "Oh, I am very dead. But I am also far from being gone. Isn't that right Lady Yuna?"

Rikku and Paine turned to look at Yuna. Her face was pale white – that of a ghost. She trembled, her eyes wide open staring at the shimmering image of Kinoc hovering over them. Her body refused to move – her lips refused to speak.

"Oh, not up for talking? Such a shame..." he taunted in delight.

"Screw you!" shouted Paine, raising her sword to Kinoc, "I don't know much about you, but why don't you just send yourself to the Farplane and leave Spira alone?"

"Hmm...bold words. But, it should be you who leaves. There's nothing you can do to stop Shuyin and I."

Rikku's eyes stammered in confusion, "Shuyin..? Where have I heard that name before?"

"Nothing we can do?" yelled Paine, her eyes filling with anger, "I'll show you there's plenty we can do. Get down here and fight!"

"Now, now...let's not be hasty. You haven't finished you first battle. I'm sure Yuna wants to play some more with her former aeon."

Yuna remained frozen for the entire time. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind all at once. Still, she continued to be reluctant to kill her former aeon. Finally, a surge of adrenaline rushed to her head, and she regained her sense of determination. She knew what devilish plans Kinoc was attempting to enact, and she would be damned if she would just stand there and watch it unfold.

"Play? I don't play games anymore Kinoc! You want Spira...you'll have to go through me first!"

She flung up her guns at Kinoc, firing two bullets at his skull. They went through him, and the image hovering above them disappeared. The hysterical chortle still filled the room. Ifrit snarled, and the Chamber began to shake. The wall behind Ifrit crackled, and came down in a thunderous crash. Behind it, hung the body of an old priest. He was suspended to another wall by chains. He quivered a little, as he looked to be half unconscious.

"W-what is this?" choked Yuna in disbelief.

The voice of Kinoc spoke from the darkness, "I thought we would make this battle a bit more interesting. A straight fight it too dry. But doesn't this make things so much more...deadly?"

"You're nuts! He's just an old man!" yelled Rikku.

His evil laugh shot from all around them, "For now, he is an old man. But if you don't make the right decisions, he'll become a _dead_ old man!"

"Damn you Kinoc!" raged Paine, beginning to sprint towards the old priest.

"Wait!" Yuna screamed, stopping Paine suddenly.

"Why, we have to..."

"No," Yuna interrupted, her eyes tearing with chaotic fear, "we can't risk getting him killed."

Once again, Kinoc's voice filled the room, "Indeed, very perceptive Lady Yuna. It would be a shame to have a blade shoved betwixt his head and throat."

A flash of light beamed from one end of the Chamber to the other, shedding a hideous sight. A thick, curled blade surrounded the old priest's neck. It was held in place my some sort of mechanism, with glowing pyreflies surrounding it.

"You see, this man's life is squarely in your hands now. This blade is enchanted with the souls of the dead – three to be exact...one for each of you. For each of you that falls in combat with Ifrit, one of these pyreflies will diminish. And if all three of you perishes, than so does this old priest!"

"The only one dying today is you – again if we have to!" bellowed Rikku, shouting in all directions.

"We shall see..."

Ifrit became active again, snarling ferociously at the girls. It leaped over to Rikku, throwing out its gigantic paw. She nimbly dodged, and came in with some slices of her own.

"No, stay back. We can't risk getting too close to it!" Paine yelled over.

Rikku nodded, and immediately ran towards Ifrit's back, keeping a good distance away from it. The beast roared, and shot magical fire at its new target - Paine. She blocked its blast with her sword. An explosion interrupted its casting, as Rikku pulled the pin off another grenade. Ifrit's fiery mane began to flow sharply. The aeon became infuriated to the point of insanity.

Yuna donned an oversized purple hat, and casted her own magic. Cooling down the burning beast, she shot sickles of ice at it. However, Ifrit conjured up more fire of its own, blasting fire behind itself at the unprepared Rikku. The blast knocked Rikku back into the wall; her face was partially scorched. Yuna screamed, dashing over to Rikku. She still seemed to be breathing, but she was out cold.

"The glow dims..." snickered Kinoc from the darkness, as some pyreflies evaporated from the mechanism.

"Is Rikku alright? We can't piss around with this thing!" jolted Paine, snapping Yuna out of her daze.

Yuna stammered, "Huh. Yeah, she's hurt, but she's alive otherwise."

Paine ran out of Ifrit's menacing paw swipe. She motioned for Yuna to take the other side and blast it with more magic. She complied, and launched another freezing blast at it. Ifrit was knocked off balance. Paine took the opportunity to dive in and attack. She swooped, cutting off one of its horns. Then she jabbed it in the back. Shrieking vilely, the beast began shaking violently, flinging Paine off its back. She hit the ground hard. Cursing at it, she attempted to get to her feet.

Ifrit left her no time, as it dove straight at her. She rolled out of the way. But, cleverly it smashed the nearby wall, caving part of it and the ceiling above. The large stones fell on Paine, trapping her beneath. A trail of blood formed by the rubble, slowly filling the cracks up.

"Paine! Ifrit, how could you!" Yuna chocked, nearly fainting at the sight of her crushed friend.

Kinoc's voice raged with grotesque laughter, "Little Lady Yuna, all alone with her aeon. This is exactly how I wanted it to be!"

"Shut up, just shut up!"

Again, more pyreflies disappeared from around the priest's neck. Sweat poured from Yuna's pores, just as fear engulfed her entire body. The low growl of Ifrit directed her attention. It readied for a terrible attack. The room around it swelled. A sudden flurry of meteors fell from nowhere, rocking the ground where they fell.

"That's it Ifrit! Kill your former master!" erupted Kinoc insanely.

Yuna did all she could to move. The shaking made her fall – now she was on her hands and knees crawling for her life. Rocks fell all around her. Another jarring impact knocked her sideways, slamming into a stone pedestal. She belted out a bloodcurdling scream. Her vision blackened, she emitted a feeble groan. Ifrit roared in victory, having ended its former summoner. Kinoc, too, roared in victory, sneering demoniacally from the darkness above.

"The last impediment to my plans – gone!" he declared with disgusting glee.

Ifrit moved over to Yuna's body, sniffing her a few times. Kinoc's image finally reappeared, hovering down from the ceiling. He examined the destruction, a hellish smile plastered over his smug face. Then he looked over to the old priest, who was still unharmed.

"I don't understand, I swore..."

"Don't think you've won just yet." rang out the voice of Yuna.

She threw herself to one knee, and raised both her pistols right up to Ifrit's head. Without hesitation, she fired both clips straight through its skull. Her face was overwhelmed with fury, her eyes raged with uncontrollable virulence. The beast fell backwards, and slopped over on its side. It let out a final, sad murmur of a roar. Pyreflies swarmed from its body – another aeon was dead.

A entirely distraught expression burst from Kinoc's face. He gripped his fists, a vein bulging from his wrinkly forehead. A crazy fire shot from his eyes into the unfazed Yuna. He then tried to recapture his composure, even letting out a little chuckle.

"You really want to endure pain that badly? Well then, how about I make you feel _real suffering_!"

A shrill screech reverberated throughout the Chamber, followed a sudden thump. Yuna screamed at the top of her lungs when she saw the head of the old priest rolling on the ground near Rikku. Squirts of blood still flickered from his beheaded corpse. A piece of his serrated spine stuck out from the bloody head. Then, the chains broke free, plopping the gurgling body to the ground. The blood bubbled as it oozed from the hole in his neck.

"And you thought I would let a worthlessly feeble old man like that live?" cackled Kinoc, "It would have been better if you just stopped playing hero – remember that!"

His image faded from view, with his ghastly laugh echoing abound. Yuna fell to her knees, holding her hand tightly to her mouth. With the smell of the dead corpse and all its blood just a few feet away, Yuna couldn't hold back her tears or disgust. Her mouth filled with her own vomit as she gagged. Some rubble to her far right began to move. Paine lifted herself up from it, stumbling around woozily. Looking over to Yuna coughing up her own vomit, she hobbled over to her quickly. Blood ran from the large gashes in each of her legs.

"Yuna? Yuna? What happened? Are you ok? Yuna..."

She stepped back in alarm, as she saw the look of total fear in Yuna's billowing eyes. Still gagging, Yuna leaped into Paine's arms, crying and chocking uncontrollably. It was then that Paine noticed the smell of death in the air. Upon spotting the freshly decapitated priest, she nearly vomited herself. Tightly she held Yuna, brushing her hair with gentle soothing.

"Damn you Kinoc..." she whispered under her breath, her eyes beaming with a vicious desire to kill.

A lonesome sobbing rose up from the corner near the body. There sat Rikku, her blackened face filled with tears. She tried to brush them away, but she cried harder at the pain of touching her burns.

"Rikku? Oh man...how hurt are you Rikku?" called out Paine, not knowing what to do.

Rikku stammered through her tears, "My face hurts but...the priest...I saw him d-d..."

Paine, letting Yuna slump down, now ran over to comfort Rikku, "Shh...it's ok. Don't speak."

Rikku clutched hard on to Paine. Paine held her firmly as well, with tears forming in her own eyes. She was far from used to comforting others, as she dealt poorly with her own heartaches. Nonetheless, nothing else matter right now. Solemn footsteps paced over towards them – Yuna fell down beside Rikku. She instinctively grabbed on to Rikku, huddling she between herself and Paine. Paine was utterly amazed at Yuna's sudden resolve, if that was what she thought it was called. Her own face was red with the fall of many tears. Yet, the sound of Rikku's hollow crying automatically kicked in her innate ability to console.

After a long time of huddling silently together, some soldiers entered the Chamber. They were in unequivocal awe at the sight of it. The room, mostly destroyed now, had the remnants of rubble lying everywhere. Blood stained much of it, as they then saw the headless corpse lying in a pool of dark red blood. In the far corner were the three girls, crouched together.

One soldier approached them, speaking in a low voice, "Barthello told us about you. Thank you for what you've done. Um...are you alright?"

Paine said nothing, merely nodding slightly. The soldier understood, and motioned for the others to leave. Paine raised Rikku, still holding her arm around her as they left the Chamber. Yuna followed, sullenly walking behind the still-sulking Rikku. For a moment, she paused and turned to face the room. Disbelief, anger, sorrow, disgust – all these feeling jarred dizzily in her head. She wiped away the final tear she was able to cry, and walked away.

Mournfully to the few, silent pyreflies floating above her, she whispered, "I'm sorry..."

* * *

_**Next chapter: **The Gullwings are put in a state of depression by the incident in Kilika Temple. Each member reacts differently, but each feel the same horrible pain. Still, with reports of fiend activity at Djose, they must continue on. Revenge courses through their veins as they investigate what horrors could possibly be going on in the Al Bhed's research facility. Just as mysterious, is what Gippal may know about the situation, and his continued feeling for Rikku._


	20. Chapter 20 – No Time for Aftermath

**Chapter 20 – No Time for Aftermath**

_The cavern grew darker, and the streaks of gray fog began to thicken. Yuna darted around the corner, only to find another endless corridor of stone walls. She chocked on her own fear, sweat beading down her face. The heat swelled around her, hazing out her sight. Through the blurred view, she saw a figure in the distance. It walked slowly in the opposite direction. Its posture was strong and upright._

_Overcoming her distress, she ran towards the figure. As she came closer, she noticed the figure was a man – young and tall, with sweet blond hair. He turned to her, flashing a pearly smile in her direction. The man appeared so familiar, so much like her love. Yet at the same time, he was nothing like the man she desired. But the curdling feeling in her soul wouldn't stop. To know and to not know someone was beyond her grasp. Nonetheless, she realized it all too well. _

_As she drew nearer to the man, and his undeniable smile, she began to faint. She felt as if her soul left her body, as she now seemed to be floating. Watching as her body slumped to the ground, she looked at another person walking to the man._

_It was the woman she knew from her previous dreams. The woman she knew nothing of, yet the woman who knew everything of her. Closer and closer the woman moved, reaching her hand out towards the man. When she was about to touch him, he evaporated into the air, disappearing from sight. Sighing with stillness, the woman turned to face Yuna. Her face expressed a melancholy reflection of Yuna's own emotions._

_"How unfair you must believe the world to be." she stated, now walking closer to Yuna's hovering soul._

_Yuna stood frozen, not responding to the woman. In fact, she knew not what to do at all. Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest. The sweat she had now felt icy cold, still beading down her face. Her breath weighed heavy in her lungs as she starred in awe at the woman._

_Stopping at arm's length from Yuna, the woman outstretched her hand, cupping it in Yuna's face, "I'm sure you've been very tormented by my presence. Truly I'm sorry for that."_

_Yuna now opened her mouth, feebly uttering, "W-who are you..."_

_The woman cracked a smile, "You already know who I am. My name is Lenne."_

_Yuna's eyes widened – she had know this person before. She thought back to the story Maechen spoke of. This woman - this summoner...she was the songstress who was in love with that strange man. It was a thousand years ago when she died, as well as her love. Yuna's head fell, and a tear formed in the corner of her eye. _

_"Do not cry for me," comforted the woman, now holding Yuna's face with both hands, "too many have cried for our tragedy. I only want it to end..."_

Yuna's eyes crept open, wincing at the sun's morning light. She rubbed her hand against her face, wiping away the tears that formed from the dream. Suddenly she burst out a sob, but no more tears fell. Only the dry dust of painful emotions was left in her. It was two days now since the terrible fight in Kilika. While the tension in Kilika had partially subsided, and the Gullwings were lauded for saving those in the temple, Yuna could only think of the old priest. Images of his head rolling in a pool of his own blood haunted her in the daylight.

At night, she was again tormented by her puzzling dreams. In her mind agitated that woman – Lenne. Yuna couldn't understand who this woman was. Whatever purpose she played, it was breaking Yuna down. Another restless night, she felt, and she would go mad.

Footsteps sounded from the stairs. Hoping it was Barkeep, Yuna rose from the bed; her face was still marred with the redness of crying. Instead, she found it was Paine approaching her. Trying her best, she gathered herself together and put on an unconvincing smile. Paine cracked her own saddened smile. Each one knew how the other was truly feeling inside.

"Good morning. I was just about to wake you up." commented Paine, plopping down beside Yuna on the bed.

"Oh, thanks," Yuna replied, "but I was...already awake for a while. You know, just lounging."

Paine quickly frowned at her, "Hey, Yuna...I know I'm not the best at sharing feelings. But...if you wanna talk, I here for you. We all are."

At this remark, Yuna did smile a truer smile, "Thank you, but...I'm fine..."

Paine simply nodded, and rose from the bed. She though, if Yuna wanted to talk, she would on her own will. She began to leave, but then turned again to speak.

"Oh, by the way – we got a message from Gippal."

Yuna perked up at this surprise, "Oh? What did he say?"

"Well, it seems the same problem as Besaid and Kilika is happening in Djose."

"Oh..." she whispered, her face instantly turning sad.

"I guess for now they've been handling it, but from what he said, it's getting pretty bad. The Al Bhed have kept this quiet. He wanted to know...if we could help."

Yuna didn't answer – she didn't want to answer. After the terrible mayhem of Kilika, the absolute last thing she wanted to do was fight. To possibly face Kinoc again, it both terrified and infuriated her. From the bed she rose, and paced over towards the window. She placed her hands behind her back, and let out a long sigh.

"Yeah, I think we should," she spoke softly, then turning to Paine, "because, perhaps Gippal knows more about Kinoc and Vegnagun."

"R-right, I thought so to," stuttered Paine, sharing in Yuna's distaste for more battling, "um, I'll go tell Buddy we'll do it."

Yuna remained staring blankly out the window, not acknowledging Paine's comments at all. Paine opened her mouth to speak, but only walked away. As much as Kilika pained her, she knew Yuna took it that much harder. As Yuna peered out the window, the scenery began to change. She sighed again, letting out her frustration. She breathed in and a few times, calming her nerves a little.

She walked down to the lower level where Barkeep was washing up some glasses. With him was another Hypello – a female one. She was smiling and prancing about. Yuna looked at her with confusedness.

"Who is that?" she asked, while sitting down on a stool at the counter.

"Thish This, why she ish my wife, ishn't isn't that right Darling?" he replied gleefully.

She replied with equal glee, "Of coursh course I am!"

The two kissed and rubbed noses for a moment. Yuna scratched her head, remembering when Barkeep told her that his wife died from Sin. How could she be here if she was dead. She wondered if she just misunderstood him, or perhaps she was unsent. Then she shook her head, wondering how dumb she could possible be.

With a few more kisses, Darling left for the elevator to take some drinks up to the bridge. Barkeep sat down a tall glass in front of Yuna. In it was a dark green liquid.

"Thish should make yoo feel better, Yoona." he promptly said, smiling at Yuna.

Uneasily, Yuna picked up the glass, and put it to her lips. With a wrenching gulp, she downed some of the foreign substance. Barely swallowing it, she let out a horrible cough.

"W-what is this stuff!"

Barkeep chuckled, "Well, it'sh a shpecial special Hypello drink, eshpecially especially made for rainy days. Doesh does it make yoo feel better?"

Yuna shook her head, not wanting to tell him that it felt like her stomach lining was disintegrating. With a huff, she plunked down her glass and pushed to to the side. Then she remembered what she wanted to ask him.

"Barkeep, I thought you wife died from Sin. I don't understand how..."

He immediately raised his hand, "She ish acutally my schecond second wife. As I told you before, my beloved Moonta died because of Sin, and I was terribly heartbroken. But, even with my shad sad pain, I eventually got beyond it."

Yuna understood his words, taking them to heart. She tapped a few times on the counter, then nodded to no one and nothing apparently particular. In a snap, she got up from the counter and walked to the elevator. Barkeep had a satisfied smile on his face.

"Thish drink works every time!"

On the bridge, everyone had assembled. Yuna, noticing Rikku's starkly glum mood, immediately patted her on the head. Rikku smiled a little and hugged her cousin. Brother peered over at them, a little happier to see them in better spirits. Even his dense brain could appreciate the fact that they went through an unspeakable horror in the Kilika Temple. When Rikku wasn't chirping, he knew something bad had happened. Neither Rikku nor Yuna and Paine spoke much of the battle; all Brother knew was that an old priest died in an awful way.

As they flew over Mushroom Rock Road, the girls readied themselves to meet Gippal. He wanted to explain the details about the "little problem" he was having. Although each of the girls wondered just how big the actual threat really was. Yuna especially was interested in what Gippal may know about Kinoc, if anything.

In only fifteen or so minutes, they landed near the Machine Faction's base, Djose Temple. As they approached it, Yuna still admired the odd, floating rocks that hovered around the temple. Gippal was standing next to the tent nearby. Upon spotting the girls, he waved and jogged over to them.

"Hey, what's up guys?" he casually greeted.

"Hello, Gippal." Yuna nodded concisely.

Gippal noticed each of the girls had a lowly presence about them. From the sphere waves, he heard some of what occurred in Kilika. Still, he wasn't totally informed on the situation, and realized it better not to ask. With a hand wave, he guided them inside the tent. They all sat down.

"Well now, since I've got the Gullwings here with me, this should be no problem."

"Maybe. What is actually happening in Djose?" asked Paine.

"Basically it's the same as in Besaid and Kilika. Around the same time as Besaid, we've had fiends running mad in the temple. We figured out they're coming from the Chamber of the Fayth. Unfortunately they ended up coming out in larger swarms, so we couldn't investigate any more."

Yuna crossed her legs, and spoke uneasily, "Uh...you didn't see any people in the temple besides your members?"

Gippal glared at her oddly, "No, why do you ask?"

The girls all looked at each other, not wanting to, but knowing they should explain what they knew to him.

"You see...we know why, at least partially, why there are fiends coming from the temples." explained Paine.

Rikku continued, "Yeah. The old Maester, Kinoc, is controlling them somehow. See, Seymour had killed him, but he was never sent. Now he's back for revenge I guess. It's him and some guy named...Shuyin, I think."

Gippal perked up after hearing this, "Wow...that's some story. Kinoc was a real tyrant I've heard. Great, now he might be reeking havoc in my base."

"Gippal," Yuna said with more emphasis, "do you know anything about all this...anything at all?"

"'Fraid not much...at least pertaining to Kinoc. After Vegnagun broke out of Bevelle, I've been trying to track it down. Then this fiend outbreak happened."

"Just how bad is the fiend problem?" Paine questioned in a most direct manner.

Gippal chuckled a little to himself, "Well...it's worse at some times more than others. We've been able to keep it under enough control as to not have the problem leak. Heh, last thing I want it a bunch of reporters floating around."

"Should we go into the temple?" asked Yuna promptly.

Gippal shook his head, "Nah, at least not today. We have plenty of sentries set up."

Rikku gave Gippal a hairy eyeball, "Then why call us if you have 'plenty of sentries?'"

Gippal grew starker, and edged closer to the girls, speaking in a low voice, "Because I'm running out of men. Many have been hurt or killed by the fiends. I'm trying to prevent a total panic."

The girls nodded, and understood his position. With that resolved, the girls had a nice dinner with Gippal. Night was falling, and the temple grounds were cast in darkness under the twilight sky. Yuna and Paine went to bed early, knowing that tomorrow may be a little more than rough. Also hitting the sack was Rikku. However, she could not fall asleep. She laid, thinking back to Gippal's behavior when they were together in Bevelle.

The twinkle in his eye, the bounce in his step – she figured Gippal had some kind of feelings for her. Still, she wasn't sure just what they were. After rolling around a bit, she gave up on sleep and went to find Gippal. Sneaking quietly out of the room, Rikku walked over to the tent where they had their meeting and dinner at. Gippal wasn't there, but another Al Bhed was.

"Aqlica sa, pid frana ec Gippal huf? (Excuse me, but where is Gippal now?)" she asked, tapping the guy on the shoulder.

The man turned around and answered grumpily, "Ar? Ra'c ehceta dra dasbma. (Eh? He's inside the temple.)"

Feeling it better not to pester the man, Rikku left the tent and traveled over to the temple. She was promptly stopped by one of the guards standing next to the big entrance doors.

"Halt! No entrance into the temple." he stated, shaking his head.

Rikku broke out her big puppy-dog eyes, "Aw, c'mon...I need to see Gippal. Pacetac, E's Al Bhed duu! (Besides, I'm Al Bhed too!)"

The guard stumbled a bit to answer her. Those big, glaring eyes of hers scared and entranced him. Finally, he surrendered his will and allowed her to pass. She skipped into the temple, searching around for Gippal. She spotted him standing on the far side of the main hall, speaking with one of his mechanics. Happily she bounced over to him. Noticing her goofy presence immediately, he gave her a cross look.

"How did you get in here?" he asked sharply.

Rikku pouted a little, "Hmph! Some way to greet a lady."

He smiled at her paradoxical comment, and eased up his tone, "Well, anyway...whatcha need?"

"I was tracking you down. See...I want to talk about, you know..."

Gippal scratched his head, "Uh, actually I don't know."

"You know, about what you said to me in Bevelle..."

"Oh that!" he interrupted, grabbing Rikku by the arm, "Uh, why don't we go for a walk outside."

The two quickly fled the temple. Gippal led her to the wooden bridge before the entrance to Djose. It was dark and secluded; only the moonlight shone down upon them. There was nary a sound as well, with only the low chirping of crickets in the background. Gippal leaned up against the guard railing of the bridge. Rikku was traipsing around him, feeling her face become flush.

"So anyway...about what you said to me..." she began faintly, butterflies twitching in her gut.

Gippal smiled smugly, "You ready to take up my offer then?"

"Huh?" she blurted, not understanding what he was eluding to.

"You know, my kiss."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Ya know Gippal, sometimes you're just too..."

But she was unable to finish her sentence, as Gippal suddenly grabbed her arm and yanked her to him. His lips connected with hers. Before Rikku could even realize, they were in the middle of a deep, passionate kiss. She was ready to snap and launch him into the river below. Yet, she was unknowingly enjoying this kiss. She felt his tongue swirling his hers, as well as his muscular arms clenching her tightly.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the kiss ended. Rikku stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over her own feet. She touched her lips with the tip of her fingers, not yet believing what just occurred. The taste of him still resided on her tongue. The moonlight revealed her face to be bright red. He was forward before in Bevelle, but never had he tried to swept her off her feet like that.

"Well, how did you like that?" he asked, again with a smug smile plastered on his face.

"Um, uh...w-what did you just d-do?" she mumbled, still in shock.

Gippal shook his head, "Rikku, Rikku, Rikku...you really are dense aren't you."

Before she could retort, he patted her head, and put his arm over her should, leading her back to the temple. Even though she still was shaking from what just transpired, she grabbed hold of him. Her nerves calmed; she felt comfort in his arms. Guiding her back to the tent, he directed her to get some sleep.

"I think it's past your bedtime kid." he chuckled, rubbing Rikku's head around roughly.

"Hey! I'm no kid!"

Gippal eyed her up and laughed, "Yeah, you got that right!"

Rikku scoffed and smacking him on the arm. Then they locked gazes for a moment, both appreciating the kiss they shared. Now it was firmly known how they felt about each other. She flashed him a cute little smile, and went inside the tent. He stood for a moment, savoring his own feelings. With a chuckle, he returned to the temple.

Silently creeping in, Rikku slipped back into her bed. Both the girls were sound asleep. Rikku laid for a while, replaying her first kiss over and over in her mind. She smiled, now feeling a different kind of feeling she'd never felt before. He may be an idiot, she thought, but he sure was handsome. And with that thought in her mind, she fell softly to sleep.

* * *

_**Next chapter: **Now that y'all have your Gippikku fix... Dawn is shattered by a massive rush of fiends from Djose Temple. The girls venture in after the catastrophe hoping to find the source. Also, they find Gippal is missing again. Not knowing what happened, the girls fight off droves of fiends until they reach the Chamber of the Fayth, and yet another old comrade._


	21. Chapter 21 – Three's a Charm

**Chapter 21 – Three's a Charm?**

**5/18/05:**Going through for some spring cleaning, and the usual minor fixes I always missed.

* * *

_The winds whipped fluently around Yuna as she looked down into the large gorge. Ever as the Calm Lands were grand, they seemed all the more impressive right now. She couldn't understand why, but there was a presence here that enraptured her senses. The picturesque landscape perfectly complemented by the heavenly blue sky was timeless. With every breath, her lungs filled with the smell of a cool, pure wind._

_She felt a tap on her shoulder. Looking over, she saw the face of her love smiling at her. His gorgeous blue eyes mirrored the majestic shine of the sky. His loving smile which graced her every time she gazed at him filled her soul with unending satisfaction. She reached over to him, putting her hand ever so gently onto his cheek. The two grew closer, their lips perking for a kiss._

_She, however, was too distracted to notice the unnatural change in her surroundings. The plains quickly became engulfed in thick clouds of gray fog. Pyreflies shot up from the ground a thousand at a time until everything was lit up by their glow. The sky faded to black, and the wind blew with hideous force._

_Yuna shivered, clenching herself now from the swirling gusts. Raising her hand to guard her face, she looked over to her love. He was now different as well. Almost the same he appeared, but now something was amiss. Who was this man that looked like him, but wasn't? He reached out, gripping her tightly in his arms. For some reason, Yuna began to cry. Her eyes flooded with tears the moment they embraced. _

_Looking up, she opened her mouth to demand from him who he was. But no words came out. Instead, he gazed deeply into her eyes. The sparkle in them still wondrous, but not the same as her love. Brushing the hair blowing in her face, he smiled._

_In a whisper, he spoke, "Together we will be, Lenne my love..."_

Her eyes now were filled with reality, as she found herself violently shaken from sleep. Paine was rocking her furiously – an appearance of hysteria on her face. Yuna hadn't even the moment to lift herself out of her dream state.

"C'mon Yuna, we gotta hurry! There's an emergence in the temple!" yelled Paine, darting frantically outside.

Yuna jumped out of bed, herself still half-unconscious, and stumbled outside following Paine. Rikku was already standing by the entrance of the temple. As Yuna sprinted, she noticed many Al Bhed solider were laying on the ground, themselves bloody with wounds. A few Al Bhed medics were going around tending to them as best they could. Whatever had happened, Yuna immediately realized it was terrible enough to turn this place a field hospital. Journeying into the temple, the girls saw more bodies strewn out across the walls. Chaos ran amok, as Machine Faction soldiers and personnel were manically racing around. One of them came up the girls.

"You're here...we need your help!" he huffed out, gasping for breath.

"What can we do?" asked Yuna, her hands shaking anxiously.

"And where's Gippal? He should be here!" added Rikku, clawing up the soldier's arm.

He shook his head in reply, "We haven't seen Gippal since late last night. But right now, we need back up for our remaining soldiers."

Rikku wanted to grill the soldier for not telling her more about Gippal, but knew it best to refrain given the situation.

Instead she questioned, "Just what happened? All was perfectly calm last night."

"Early this morning, a gigantic wave of fiends rushed us. We took heavy loses. They also destroyed most of our guardian machina. We're in a lot of trouble!"

Paine looked at Yuna, who shared her concerned expression. They nodded in sequence and readied for battle. Rikku was even more eager, as she was afraid something might have happened to Gippal. The girls followed the soldier, who entered the Cloister. A few soldiers were holding position against the walls. Even some of them were injured. He pointed to a control pedestal at the far end of the hallway.

"That control box will activate the lift to go to the second floor. However, the electrified security wall was shot haywire by the fiends. You need to..."

"Don't worry," Yuna interrupted, "I've got this covered."

Paine gave her a perplexed look, but Rikku gave Yuna a big thumbs up. The girls took flanking positions on either side of her, letting Yuna maneuver with the spheres. There were numerous fiends in the adjoining rooms. Four jelly-like fiends roared from behind the electric wall, and oozed their way forward.

Rikku lobbed a special red grenade, bursting one of them. Paine fought between two others, dancing gracefully with her sword. A pair of guards shot from behind them at the remaining fiend. Paine easily diced the two she was on. Rikku, on the other hand, wasn't doing as well with her target.

"Ooo...can I get some help Paine?" she cried, kicking at the fiend.

It growled as she shook off some of its slime from her foot. Sticking her tongue out at it, she sprung to her side, distracting it nicely for Paine. Taking a big swing, she cut the blob in half, spilling its upper body onto the floor around it. Rikku cheered and high-fived Paine. Meanwhile, Yuna was racing around trying to remember how this Cloister went. Nobody hated sphere puzzles more than she did. The hours she spent studying for solving them always haunted her when trained to become a summoner.

In her hand were two charged spheres. She walked over to a pair of pedestals, which already had a glowing purple sphere in one of them. She wondered to herself if that was the Destruction Sphere, but wasn't really sure. Her memory for these things had apparently faded since she no longer needed to be a summoner. She grunted furiously and chucked the two spheres she was holding at the ground.

With a bellow she yelled, "This sucks! Screw the spheres!"

She turned and huffed over to the electric wall. A one-eyed fiend flew beside her. Sharply turning to glare at it, she shouted hastily and smacked it dead with her gun. Paine and Rikku, in awe by her chaotic outburst, followed behind her.

"Um, Yunie, what are you..." began Rikku.

Not paying any attention to her, Yuna lifted her gun in the direction of the control panel and began shooting at it. As her bullets connected, sparks flew from the pedestal. A rumble shuttered from behind them, as the lift began to work again. All the soldiers guarding behind them gasped at Yuna.

"Alright Yunie, you're awesome!" applauded Rikku, giving her cousin a smack on the back.

Yuna blushed at her own eruption, "Heh, I never liked the Cloisters."

"That's for sure." remarked Paine, giving Yuna an approving smile.

The soldier from before approached them again, "Uh, excellent works sir uh...I mean Lady Yuna. Remind me never to pick a fight with you."

At this Yuna's face turned bright red, "Oh, of course..."

"Now then," he resumed after clearing his throat, "we can handle the rest of the fiends here. Please, go up the lift and help our comrades up there."

"You got it!" she affirmed, dashing onto the lift with her friends.

The lift jolted, nearly knocking Rikku off it. Up the Gullwings went - guns, swords, and grenades ready. Immediately after reaching the second floor, they were attacked by a large, hissing ball of fire. Its red eyeballs bulged from its flaming exterior. Sweeping down with force, it attacked Paine first, knocking her flat on her back. Rikku through one of her fancy white grenades at it, but ended up almost blowing up Yuna.

"Hey watch it!" she growled, shooting at the fireball.

Rikku smiled timidly while helping Paine up. Instantly Paine grabbed for her sword - angry and ready to get violent. Harshly swinging, she cleanly sliced the fireball. Yet it was unaffected, as it continued hissing. Again it attacked, this time at Yuna. Hitting the deck in an instant, Yuna felt the top of her head get singed. Hissing back at it, she popping three bullets into it. It still appeared to not be hurt. The girls, fed up with dealing with this grandiose annoyance, formed a triad. Together they rushed at the fiend – Yuna firing, Rikku slashing, and Paine stabbing, until the fiend dropped.

"Hmph! Finally, the stupid thing's dead!" exclaimed Rikku.

"Let's keep focus girls," gathered Yuna, pointing to a set of five pedestals in an adjoining room, "we have to get to the Chamber of the Fayth now."

Paine let out a sigh, "For once, I really don't want to go. But..."

"But we have to do it." Yuna smiled.

From behind them, a lone soldier came forth. He was wounded partially, as blood dripped from his side. He limped up to Yuna, recognizing her from the previous day. Although grimacing in pain, he let out a sigh of relief.

"If you girls have made it up here, then everyone mustn't have died yet."

Yuna shook her head, "No, we killed most of the fiends on the lower level."

"Thank...mmm," he grabbed his side in pain, "this level is defended as well...now that you've killed that last fiend."

The girls looked around, noticing the numerous dead soldiers and dead fiends covering the floor.

"I may be all that's left, but I'll hold anything off as long as I'm standing. Just..." he cried out again in misery, now falling to his knees.

Rikku and Paine helped sit him down. Rikku began bandaging his wound. The soldier squealed at the immense pain. But after she gave him some blue potion, his pain subsided.

Yuna, knowing all to well his fate, choked to hold back her tears. She knelt down beside him, conveying some final comforts as best she knew how to. She wanted to tell him help would come up, but she understood all too well that nobody would probably come in time. She also gazed horrified at the long trail of blood the soldier had left behind him. Suddenly she was jolted by his hand grasping her with such firmness.

The soldier pointed to the Chamber of the Fayth, whimpering, "In there...is a horrid beast. You...you must destroy it...for all of us..."

With his last word, he slumped over. His eyes rolled back into his head - no longer did the soldier move. Paine closed his eyelids, respecting someone as brave as he. Now tears did roll down Yuna's face, as well as Rikku's. More people dying – an event they all did not want to become routine. Now it was as if it would become that very nightmare they feared.

There was no time for mourning for the Gullwings. Hammering together their fleeting resolve, the girls approached the five pedestals. Each pushed in one, with nothing happening. One the forth one, the door to the Chamber rumbled open. Ready for the inevitable battle, Rikku and Paine marched for the Chamber. However, Yuna called out for them to stop. She stood, her face stern and coarse. In her hand was three silver bracelets.

"W-what are these for?" asked a perplexed Rikku.

Yuna sighed, "We'll need them for the next battle. Just put them on."

The bracelets had a glossy shine to them. An insignia of a lightning bolt was engraved on them. Once sighting this, Paine looked up at Yuna. She understood exactly what these were for.

"I guess you were already prepared for this."

With hesitation Yuna nodded, "Yeah, I knew I couldn't avoid it."

And without another word, the Gullwings entered the Chamber. Matching their dreary expectation, the figure inside hollered with anticipation as well. Ixion, Yuna's third aeon, stood awaiting their arrival. Sparks of lightning flashed off its long, hooked horn. Snorting fiercely, it scoffed with its one hoof, charing for its opening attack.

The girls, too, wasted no time with reunion introductions. Spreading out, the girls encircled the beast. Their eyes all stark with determination, they held their breaths, waiting for the first move to be made. In a moment's eternity, all four battlers stood, facing each other. In Ixion's eyes was the same desire to kill as was in Valefor's and Ifrit's. Yuna recognized this well – only now with the same desire mirrored in her own.

Then the explosion came, and the girls began their relentless attack. Rikku lobbed some blue grenades at the aeon. Bursts of watery magic splashed onto Ixion, which let out a cry. Firing back without pause, Ixion shot a electrical charge at Paine. It flew so fast, she had no time to react. She covered her face from the blast, expecting the worse. Instead, she noticed a light blue sphere glowing around her. She was unharmed by the electrical blast.

"These are really something!" thanked Paine over to Yuna.

Yuna nodded and ran at Ixion, shooting a half-dozen shots into its abdomen. It roared, and swung its big horn around, nearly impaling Rikku on it. She shrieked and dove out of the way. It snarled, becoming increasingly more aggressive with every failed attempt. Another charge formed on the tip of its horn, and fired at Yuna this time. The same effect occurred, and the blast was absorbed. The girls knew they had the advantage for once.

Ixion also realized this, as it reverted to only using physical attacks. Paine swung at it with her sword, keeping it at bay. Yuna donned her purple mage's hat. With a thrust of her wand, she casted a wave of water onto Ixion. Recklessly the beast yelped, and fell into the wall. The battle wasn't over yet, as it quickly regained its composure, and attacked at Rikku again. This time it connected, smacking Rikku backwards hard. With a loud thud, she fell to the ground directly on her butt. She cried out, and began rubbing her backside, although otherwise she was unhurt.

Paine dashed over, stabbing Ixion in one of its legs. In reaction it kicked at Paine, nearly taking off her head. She backed away, letting Yuna cast more magic on it. The adamant blitzkrieg brought the monster to its knees. Limping out of the Chamber, it screamed on last battle cry, then toppled over.

Yuna breathed heavy, as were her comrades. The battle was hard, but the battle was won. They all smiled at each other, hoping now there would be no more fights. Paine sat down, exhausted from all the running and hacking she had accomplished. Yuna dropped down beside her, feeling fatigued as well.

Rikku, on the other hand, was busy examining a gigantic hole to the far end of the Chamber. Peering down, she saw a large swarm of pyreflies emitting from it.

"Hey guys," she yelled over, "come look at this!"

"Hmm...how'd we miss this?" wondered Paine, scratching her head.

Yuna put her finger to her mouth, "You know, there was a hole like this in Besaid, and I think Kilika too."

"What did ya see in it?" asked Rikku pertinently.

Yuna huffed, "Heh, well I didn't see anything since I didn't have the chance to look."

"I wonder if this is where the fiends came from?" asked Paine curiously.

"Hmm...I wonder too..."

From behind limbered Ixion, still clinging to life. With a roar, it stumbled at the girls. Paine and Rikku dodged to their sides, but Yuna had nowhere to go. Flying off balance, she fell backwards into the hole. Ixion again fell over dead, while Yuna's scream faded into the void.

"Yuna!" bellowed Paine into the hole.

But there was no response. She was gone – absorbed by the darkness of the endless abyss. Rikku and Paine, panic exuding from their faces, were clueless as to what to do.

Darkness, whether from the hole, or in her mind, surrounded Yuna. Believing it was her doom, she clamped her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable to happen. When she reopened them again, she was lying face down in a bed of flowers. They smelled so pretty – seeping a pure, sweet fragrance. Looking around, she saw swarms of pyreflies dancing about. The sound of waterfalls echoed around her as well. She sat up, in awe of her ethereal surroundings. As if she fell right into some fantasy, the world was like nothing she had ever seen before.

Her eyes caught the path of a pyrefly curling around her. She now rose to her feet, still completely unknowing of her environment. The low humming of pyreflies tickled in her ears. Suddenly she looked down at herself, realizing she was in her songstress' dress. She wondered how in Spira she could possibly be wearing it when it began to glow. Pyreflies shot from it, flying around Yuna. She gasped, partially frightened by all that was happening.

A new attention grasped her, as from the hazy cloud of fog before her came a man. It was the same man she had seen many times in her dreams. She wondered if this could be Shuyin, the man after Vegnagun – the man whom was Lenne's love. He walked nearer, his body steadfast. Both his appearance and demeanor were so similar to Tidus. Even though she realized instantly that it wasn't him, she still couldn't drive out the old memories of her love.

With his lips cracked in a faint smile, he stopped and spoke, "I've finally found you."

* * *

_**Next chapter: **Alone in the Farplane, Yuna must face the man so much like her love. She wants to know who Shuyin is, and why he resembles Tidus. She must also wrestle with feelings that seem to be not her own, but of the summoner Lenne._


	22. Chapter 22 – Surrounded by Hopelessness

**Chapter 22 – Surrounded by Hopelessness**

**5/19/05:**Going through for some spring cleaning, and the usual minor fixes I always missed.

* * *

Yuna gazed at this man, her mind going crazy. From the words he spoke, it made her unsure whether or not this was her love. The sound of his voice, it felt so similar – so familiar, that she could only stare at him.

Finally, she gathered the courage to speak, "Is that...really you?"

Watching his lips move with grace, he replied, "It is me...Shuyin. I've waited so long, Lenne."

Immediately Yuna turned around, feeling the disappointment of her hopes being quashed. On top of that, she become ever more confused as to why this man kept believing her to be Lenne. The woman from her dreams must have been real then, she thought. Whoever she was, Shuyin desired her immensely.

"But I'm not Lenne." she spoke, her tone soft.

He approached her slowly, swarms of pyreflies dancing around them. The soft, mellow sound of the waterfalls, as well as the fragrant smell of the flowers, added to the surreal environment.

"Lenne...we disappeared together, but... when I awoke...I was alone. I looked for you for so long."

His voice became louder and louder to Yuna as he drew nearer. Still, she remained facing the opposite direction, to afraid to look back at him. Sadness began pouring from her heart. She had no idea why, but he must have been the cause of it.

"While I wandered, I realized something," he said, still gazing intently at Yuna, "Spira hasn't really changed at all. Everyone is still fighting over nothing...still dying like they used to."

Chills ran down her spine. His words held with such grievance, it took all her will just to remain frozen. In her mind, she would do anything to burst out, and release herself of all the emotions bottled up from years of hardship. Shuyin paused, standing only a few feet from Yuna. His voice, as well as his stature, kept firm and stark. A pair of pyreflies flew in front of him, yet he was undaunted by them.

He continued his grave speech, "A thousand years have past, and they can't leave the hatred behind."

Yuna could feel a heavy pressure building up inside her. Each word of his went against everything she hoped in. Every utterance chipped away at her very core. Little by little, it ate away at her. She still refused to face Shuyin, not wanting to incur the inevitable pain she would feel. The pressure grew ever more daunting, now pressing forcibly against her chest.

"I'm through waiting...I'll fix it," Shuyin continued, his words grimacing with harshness, "This world continues to fail us, and what's worse, I failed to protect you. Vegnagun will make that all go away..."

He clenched his hand into a fist, centuries of rage gathering in his grasp. Yuna could not speak, her mouth struck frozen. Sensing him so close, she looked down. Her emotions were as numb as her body. She felt herself going blank, trying to block out Shuyin and his horrible words.

Yet he continued to come closer, now embracing Yuna, "And we'll fade again, together. Help me do it...Lenne..."

His hand now reached to her shoulder, softly touching it. She wanted to scream and run away, yet she remained frozen. She felt as if her own body became a prison for her tormented soul.

"Don't touch me!" rang out in her mind.

But that was all she reacted with, until Shuyin quickly spun her around, making her gasp. Before she knew what was happening, she felt herself wrapped in his arms. Tightly he held her, an appearance of total disarray covered Yuna's face. Pyreflies now soared out of her; her clothes began to glow. All she could do was watch the pyreflies encircle them, while Shuyin held her.

"Whose feelings are these..." she questioned to herself, thralled by the sudden burst of emotions so foreign to her, "Lenne's...mine?"

Out of his arms she came, yet still within his reach. He looked at her with pleasure. For the first time, Yuna and Shuyin met eyes. Inside, she continued to feel cold and numb, as if her own self was pushed aside for someone else. Again, Shuyin embraced her lovingly. Yuna could not produce a response. She just leaned against him, bent to his will. The pyreflies fluttered around them, their crystal bodies protruding light upon them.

_Then a bright light flashed in her eyes. Now she was alone, sitting in the middle of the Farplane. Shuyin was gone, as well as the pyreflies that surrounded him. For a moment, she didn't know what to do. Then, she curled up and cried. A long, sorrowful stream of tears she sobbed, for what seemed like hours. Everything was quiet now – all that sounded was the echo of herself crying like a child. Relieved and disgusted at the same time, she hated being alone. But she needed to cry so desperately. Her feelings inside were so erratic, so built up, that she just wanted to kill herself and end it all._

"Open your eyes!" a voice yelled, jolting her.

Released suddenly by Shuyin, Yuna now found herself back into her normal clothing. Shuyin, too, was longer the same. Baralai now stood before her, a devilish look showing on his face. He moved closer to the edge of the Farplane. A swirling portal opened up in front of him.

"The end is not far now." he stated, diving into the portal he created.

Also there was Nooj and Gippal. Nooj walked up to Yuna, "Give this to Paine. It was all I was able to find."

In her hand, he placed a shiny orange sphere. Yuna looked puzzlingly at it, wondering what connection Paine had with Nooj. Gippal now came up to her with his own sphere in hand.

"Giver her this one, too." he said, placing the sphere in her other hand.

"I-I don't understand, w-what are these?" she stuttered.

"Our wills." replied Nooj bluntly.

Gippal chuckled, putting his arm behind his head, "Heh, he's kidding. Just make sure Paine gets them, alright."

"How do you know her?"

"The four of us go way back."

"No...don't go!" shouted Yuna, not wanting to be there alone.

Gippal yelled back, "It's under control!"

"Take care of things topside!" added Nooj.

With that, Nooj and Gippal left before Yuna could even move. In this foreign place, this surrealistic void, she stood alone. Completely awestruck by everything that had just transpired, she gazed around mindlessly for a moment. Then her tears came back to her – she realized that she was alone.

A bubble of anger formed in her mind. She was tired of aimlessly searching for answers, and only turning up more questions. Her pulse heightened, as boiling rage shot through her blood. Fort the first time in her life, she felt completely helpless. She didn't know how to feel, she didn't know where she was, she didn't have anyone to talk to – her heart sank in despair. Putting her hands to her eyes, she cried. The thickest tears she had ever poured, her moans reflected throughout the Farplane.

Slumping to the ground, she inhaled to bolt out a scream, but no sound came from her mouth. Instead, she only knelt and wept. For a while she whimpered, sobbed, and moaned. Then footsteps coming near her attracted her attention. She looked up and saw a young child, similar to the Fayth that had helped her before. He smiled at her, and knelt down to look at her face.

"Do not weep, Lady Summoner," he spoke softly, "for I perhaps can deliver what you seek."

Rubbing the tear drops from her eyes, she focused on the little child. He was short, concealing himself in a thick black cloak lined with golden thread. His smile was as white as pearls. For a moment, all she did was stare at him. Realizing her rudeness, she tried to speak with some coherence.

"Y-you...can help me?"

"That I can. Because you've done such wonders for Spira, I will help you as your reward."

She continued to stare in awe at him, "You can...really do that?"

He nodded, then continued to speak, "Meet me at the Moonflow, where the pyreflies still dance and sing. I will help you then."

The Fayth skipped away as quickly as he came, saying no more on the subject. Yuna called out for him not to leave her, but it was too late. He vanished, leaving her again alone.

Bowing her head, she screamed, "I'm just...angry! One thing after another, and I'm already confused to begin with...I'm all alone..."

The bellow of a whistle sounds out, breaking Yuna out of her outburst. Immediately she rose to her feet, frantically searching about, listening for the whistle to play again. And again it sounded – she raced in the direction she heard it from.

"Where are you?" she yelled to the open, calling to the only soul that would whistle to her.

A third whistle rang out, and Yuna caught a faint glimpse of a figure in the corner of her eye. Running as fast as she could, she chased after the figure, all the while stretching her arm out as far as it would go to reach it.

"Wait!" she shouted at the ghostly figure, wanting beyond all desire to hold him in her arms again.

The man, the one she knew to be Tidus, whistled to her once more. Walking up an invisible staircase, he entered a bright light. Tears shooting from her cheeks, Yuna ran up with him, almost able to touch him. So close was she, she could recognize his gorgeous blue eyes beholding her. The white light engulfed her, and everything changed in a flash.

Her body was now lying, curled up in the fetal position, in the large platform where Vegnagun had once been held. Somehow she ended up far beneath Bevelle. Her eyes twitched, and her limbs began to fidget. Wherever she had been, she was alive and in reality now. A crackling sound reverberated in her ear.

"Come in Yuna! Yuna!" erupted Buddy's voice.

In the Celsius, the Gullwings were huddled around Buddy's speaker. All of them were waiting and hoping for Yuna's reply. Rikku was all but crying as it was – she couldn't possibly imagine living without her dear cousin Yunie. But Paine unwisely mentioned such a scenario to Brother, who freaked out enough to be deserving of being committed. Finally, the words they all so anxiously awaited spoke softly to them.

"Yuna, reporting in."

Yuna heard the sound of her friends all cheering at once through the Comm. Buddy joyously acknowledged her, and set sail for Bevelle at top speed. Looking around, Yuna curled up again, noticing that she was once again alone. Only a few pyreflies flew in the gigantic cavern. She sighed, feeling as numb as she felt before. For the first time, she was tired – tired of all the confusion and pain surrounding her. With every corner she turned, more troubles and suffering awaited her. For hours she sat silently until Paine and Rikku came.

"Yunie! There you are...oh I was so worried about you!" greeted Rikku, dashing at Yuna down the long hallway.

Paine was running as well, "Are you ok Yuna? Are you hurt?"

Yuna shook her head, but didn't turn to face them. She remained slumped on the ground, staring blankly at the floor. While she wanted to feel happy about seeing her friends again, she just didn't care. She felt a tug on her arm, as Rikku attempted to lift her up. Yuna didn't feel like moving, but then Rikku's huge smile persuaded her otherwise. Paine, too, stood smiling, glad to see her friend unharmed.

The three girls returned to their ship, where Buddy, Shinra, and Brother all greeted Yuna with open arms. Brother sneered at something about Buddy commenting on him not being able to go on without her.

While she was grateful for their astounding concern, she didn't want to talk. Shortly after arriving on the ship, she politely dismissed herself and went to the cabin. She thought Barkeep said hello to her, but paid no attention if he did, as she headed straight to bed. Plopping down, she covered herself up and roll on her side. The sky was orange outside, and the sun hung low in the sky. With a quivering sigh, a lone tear ran down her cheek. She closed her eyes, and hoped that she would dream. Perhaps a dream to sort herself out she would have.

Unfortunately, she had no such dreams. Her sleep was void of anything for once. When she awakened, dawn was cracking. Yuna sat up in bed, rubbing her hand across her face. Glancing out her window, she gazed at a flock of birds flying with the Celsius. For a moment she wished she could fly with such freedom. Then, she went to the bathroom to clean herself. The smell of Bevelle's musty machina reeked from her clothes. Starting up a warm bath, she slid into the tub, greeted by thousands of tiny bubbles. She rested her head against the side, and closed her eyes. Not a sound came from the ship; she was wrapped with silence.

She thought back to Shuyin, and everything he said to her. Her face grew angry. She was repulsed by his arrogant selfishness. His desire to destroy the world, just for some girl that died a thousand years ago, enraged her. She wondered why he couldn't let it go – it was foolish to hold onto something so unobtainable. Then her eyes shot open, as she realized just how similar he was to her. She felt her heart drop to the ground, as she began to sob.

Shuyin was no different than her. All he wanted was his love back, just as she only wanted her love back. She began to understand him. He wandered alone for a thousand years with such a heartache. Yuna felt the same way for the past two years. She could only imagine how much anguish he had built up over the lonely eternity he went through.

Now she felt shameful for cursing Shuyin, when she was no better. She slid herself deeper into the tub, her tears mixing with the soapy water. She leered at the ceiling, her eyes glazed over from the many days of chaos.

"Yuna, come on up to the bridge if you aren't still sleeping." called the voice of Buddy over the Comm, surprising Yuna.

She sighed, and got out of the tub, readying herself to see what was happening now. The last thing she wanted to hear was more trouble. Even if it was about a sphere – she still couldn't have cared less. As she passed the bar, Barkeep was organizing his collection of fine Hypello wines. She tapped on the counter.

"Hey, good morning. Can I get something to go?" she asked in a melancholy voice to him.

He nodded and complied, "Shure Sure Mish Yoona. What would you like?"

While she truly felt like downing a stiff drink, her sense of self-respect was still functioning. A simple juice sufficed for her, and she picked up the glass he gave her, promising to return it afterwards. He waved her goodbye as Yuna took the lift to the bridge. Paine, Buddy, and Brother were all standing together, awaiting her arrival. She waved to them, trying her best to look a little cheery.

"Good morning, Yuna! I hope you are feeling better after your terrible encounter." Brother raved, prancing up to Yuna.

She replied concisely, "Yes thank you."

"So what happened down there? We saw you fall into the hole, and the next thing we knew, you were in Bevelle." Paine questioned sternly, truly puzzled by Yuna's teleportation act.

Yuna explained to them what happened. Shinra and Rikku joined shortly, they too wondered what had occurred. Although Yuna wasn't completely sure herself as to the circumstances, she told them about Gippal and Nooj, as well as Shuyin. Buddy went on to ask her more about Shuyin, and his connection with the summoner Lenne. Again, she wasn't fully sure. What she did tell them was that Lenne was his love, and he wanted to use Vegnagun to punish Spira for its sins. Everyone looked at each other in contempt. With the Calm as fragile as it was, they didn't want to see it crushed by a thousand year old ghost.

"So Gippal was ok?" Rikku asked intently, showing were worry for him fairly obviously.

"Yeah," Yuna nodded, "at least when he left, he was alright. Oh, before I forget, they gave me these two spheres. They said to give them to you Paine."

Paine took them from Yuna, and starred at them for a moment, saying nothing. She cracked a smile, and nodded to Yuna. Although she didn't explain much about them, she said she would watch them soon at a more private time. Brother, being the genius he was, suggested a little R&R before racing out to save Spira again. A couple places came up, such as Besaid, Mount Gagazet, and the Moonflow. Upon hearing "Moonflow," Yuna perked up.

"I want to go to the Moonflow." she blurted out.

Paine scratched her head, "Why do you want to go there?"

"Uh..." stuttered Yuna, "because..."

"Great idea, Yunie! We can visit Tolbi there!" cheered Rikku, giving her cousin a slap on the back.

"But that was my idea." complained Brother, feeling ignored.

"That little guy Tolbi works there? We can go listen to the cool musicians he's got there. Nice thinking Yuna!" smiled Buddy with glee, to the discontent of Brother.

So it was decided – to the Moonflow they would go. Rikku fixed up a bunch of picnic baskets for everyone to eat. Shinra was planning to install one of his Commspheres there. Buddy and Shinra looked forward to the entertainment Tolbi would have. Paine just hope she didn't have to sell any tickets this time. But Yuna was different – she had a real purpose to go to Moonflow. She pondered to herself how the Fayth would contact her. She could recognize him, that was for sure. It didn't matter to Yuna. As long as he could fulfill his promise, that was all she cared about. A bud of hope sprouted in her heart just thinking about Tidus in her arms once more. Then again, what would it be worth if Shuyin would go through with his plans. More than likely, Tidus would only fade from her again. That was a tragedy she couldn't bare to think about.

"Ready to go Yunie?" asked Rikku, shaking Yuna out of her stare.

"Huh? We're at Moonflow already?"

"Yeah, where are you at? We got here five minutes ago."

Yuna looked out the bridge windows. Low and behold, the earthy tones of the Moonflow were in plain sight. She shook her head, realizing it was time for her to wake up. She placed her arm around Rikku as the two left the ship. The sun was dim that day, mostly hiding behind the thick gray clouds which populated the sky.

"Hmm...I hope it doesn't rain on us today." commented Paine, looking skeptically at the sky.

The Gullwings continued their plans, and had a wonderful day. Meeting up with Tolbi, they enjoyed his funky brand of entertainment. Although the girls, not to mention Brother, pleaded for Yuna to go up and perform a number, she kindly refused. All she wanted to do was lay in the grass and relax. She dozed off for a while, taking a quiet little nap under the clouds. After a bit, she was wakened by the dripping of water on her face. She opened her eyes, noticing that rain was approaching quickly. She hopped up and looked around. It seemed everyone went their own ways while she was asleep. Grunting to herself for them leaving her behind, she peered around for some shelter.

The rain began to drip harder, now turning to a light shower. Not wanting to get soaked, Yuna ran into the nearby woods. Hustling down the path a few hundred feet, she heard a voice call her name. As the rain increased, she looked to her right. Standing at the edge of the road beside her was the Fayth she saw from the Farplane.

"Greetings Summoner Yuna...it is time."

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_**Next chapter:** Yuna has accomplished her whole purpose of coming to the Moonflow. But can this mysterious Fayth truly come through on his offer, or is there more to him than meets the eye._


	23. Chapter 23 – The Darker Side of a Summon...

**Chapter 23 – The Darker Side of a Summoner**

**6/6/05:** Going through for some spring cleaning, and the usual minor fixes I always missed.

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Yuna, startled by his sudden appearance, stuttered in her response. The Fayth simply laughed, and waved for her to come with him. Mindlessly she followed his command, and the two went deeper into the forest. Below her was the remnants of a path, long since covered with overgrowth. She could hear the many droplets of rain splashing on the trees around her, their sounds echoing in a tearful chorus. It made her feel as if the trees felt the same inner sadness as she.

The Fayth continued his trek into the dense forest. Finally Yuna spotted a small cottage in a little clearing. It was rather bleak and run down. Its exterior was half-rotten and unpainted. The shingled roof dipped in the center. However, her conscious was elsewhere, as she didn't care what his cottage looked like. The only thing important in her mind was Tidus. Soon, possibly, she could have him back – the one thing to end her long struggle.

The rain now began to pour, and she was quickly becoming soaked. Hustling in as soon as they could, the Fayth opened the door, and Yuna gladly entered. She shook some water off of her hair, and squeezed more out with her hands. It was a cold rain, making the hairs on her arms tingle. Promptly shutting the door, the Fayth walked to the other side of the room.

Yuna was puzzled by the lack of substance to his home. The only things residing in the single room was a table, two chairs, and a glowing sphere on a pedestal in the far corner. Wondering for a moment what the sphere might contain, Yuna redirected her attention for the only thing pertinent to her.

"Fayth...you said you could help me." she spoke, still with slight hesitation.

"Indeed," he replied, smiling at her, "I will reward you for your gallant service to Spira and the Fayth."

Yuna blushed a bit, smiling back at the Fayth, "Oh, well thank you, but I really didn't..."

"Nonsense, don't under appreciate yourself Summoner Yuna. You've done wondrous things for this world. For that you should be compensated."

Yuna gazed blankly at him for a moment. Such humbleness made her aghast, as she wasn't sure with what to respond. For Spira, she had done an innumerable amount of deeds to aid it. But being a hero was not something she desired. Again, flashes of Tidus ran through her mind.

"Tell me, what is it you desire?" he asked, creeping slightly towards her.

Yuna sat down in one of the two chairs in the room. It squeaked under her pressure, making her wonder if she was gaining weight. She paused to think; already she had a thousand thoughts racing in her head. While deep down she knew exactly what she wanted, her shy self wouldn't let it out. Her face showed all the jumbled emotions she was playing inside of her. She blushed again, knowing she must look as a fool would.

"I...I just want to be happy, I guess." she replied with the first thing that resembled how she truly felt.

The Fayth thought to himself, rubbing his chin. Then he began to pace, all the while staying deep in thought. Staring intensely at the radiant sphere in the corner, he watched for a time as its glow brightened and darkened. He then faced Yuna again. Rubbing his chin once more, he walked up close to her, his eyes peering into hers.

"That is a very general idea. Do you suppose how I can make you happy?" he questioned intently.

Yuna obviously knew what she needed to complete her happiness, but again she held it back. Her head dropped to the ground; her facial expression grew darker. She sighed lightly, and moved the dirt on the floor around with her foot. To herself, she wondered why she just wouldn't come and and tell the Fayth her desire. Something drug the idea back every time it surfaced. Whatever it was, it was stronger than she could fight. Therefore, she had no answer.

"Hmm, I understand Summoner Yuna. Why then don't you think about it for a while. When you are ready, come seek me out."

She lifted her head to speak again, but refrained. Simply nodding, she thanked the Fayth for his time and left. Following the degenerated path back through the forest, Yuna headed back for the Celsius. The rain had since stopped, and the sun peered through some gray clouds. While Spira may have some shine on it, only shadow existed in Yuna's soul. She sobbed as she sadly walked back to her home.

"Why, why couldn't I just say it?" she growled out loud to herself, while wiping away a tear.

A fit of anger spiked through her veins. She kicked a tree hard, splintering off a chunk of its bark. Then she yelled to the sky at the top of her lungs. Suddenly her anger subsided, as she remembered the time Tidus told her to scream if she was too frustrated. A solemn tear proceeded. She brushed her hand across her hair. Letting out a burst of air, she regained control of herself.

"Can I never figure myself out," she whispered, leaning her head against a tree, "All I want is you, and I'm too stupid to even say it. Damn me for being so weak...Tidus..."

A voice called out from afar. It was Rikku, who was jogging towards her. She waved at her cousin, and let out a witless giggle. Yuna, somewhat frightened by Rikku's sudden appearance, attempted to come back into control of herself.

"There ya are Yunie! We thought you got lost." she smiled.

Yuna flashed a gray smile back at her, "Oh...no, no, I, uh...just hid under a tree to get out of the rain. You guys left me alone."

"Oops, sorry about that. We went to go play with a blitzball Buddy had. You were sleeping so peacefully, we didn't want to wake you."

Yuna chuckled, gathering some cheerfulness from her quirky friend, "It's alright, I forgive you."

The girls laughed, and Rikku locked arms with Yuna as the two headed back to the Celsius. The gang had resumed their little game since the rain had ended. Paine and Brother waved at Yuna, whom they saw returning. Buddy kicked the ball over to her.

"How are you doing?" he shouted to her, "We thought someone sold you to Tolbi!"

"No, I was just taking cover!" she yelled back with a little more glee.

For the rest of the afternoon, the Gullwings played beside their ship, the sun shining down upon them whole time. It was warm, with a gentle breeze to tantalize them. In the back of Yuna's mind, however, still smoldered her disgust for passing up such an opportunity. Although the knowledge that she could come back to him was calming. The last week had been nothing less than a maelstrom – she just needed to unwind. She thought that would solve her apprehension.

Once the sun set, Yuna decided she should give Kimahri a sphere-call. With Shinra's new little toy he installed, she could talk with Kimahri any time she wanted. Feeling kind of bad because she hadn't kept in touch with him, she decided this was a good opportunity. Plopping down in Buddy's seat, she turned on the sphere network. Looking at the map of Spira, she touched the screen where Mount Gagazet shown. The screen flashed, and a picture of Kimahri appeared. The button which had "call" on it began to blink. Once pushed, she heard a strange tone murmur from the speaker. In a few seconds, the voice of a female Ronso came across the channel.

"Hello?" came from the speaker, "Who is contacting Ronso through funny contraption?"

"Um, this is Yuna. May I speak to Kimahri please?"

"Ah, you are the one Elder had protected. Please wait one moment."

Footsteps aired over the Comm, and Yuna waited patiently. She tapped her finger on the console, thinking about what to say to Kimahri. He had been the Ronso's Elder for a while now, but there was a lot of trouble in the community. She remembered the younger Ronso wanting to attack the Guado for revenge. Seeing as how no news of Ronso attacks had been broadcast, Yuna felt it assured that Kimahri was keeping things under control. Still, she worried about him, as being a leader was a difficult job to do.

Once again, footsteps sounded over the Comm, "Kimahri is glad to hear from Yuna."

"Kimahri!" she bellowed, "Oh it's so good to hear your voice again."

"It is also good to hear Yuna's voice again too. It has been some time since Yuna last spoke to the Ronso."

"I know...I'm sorry Kimahri."

"Do not be sorry. Kimahri knows Yuna as busy hunting spheres as Kimahri is leading Ronso."

Yuna nodded to herself, "That's very true. But still, I'm glad to know you're ok. How are the Ronso doing?"

Kimahri paused for a moment, "Ronso youth still eager to take revenge on Guado. Garik is again causing much trouble."

"That's right. He was up in arms when we were last in Gagazet."

"Mmm...Garik not understand, Mountain speak of peace, not of revenge. But Garik not listen to Mountain. Now, very many Ronso want to leave Mountain and kill Guado."

"What? Is it really that bad?" gasped Yuna.

"Indeed, Ronso thirst for Guado blood becomes worse each day. Kimahri becoming less sure of what to do."

Yuna thought to herself for a moment, "Well, perhaps we can come and help you."

"Yuna should not trouble. Ronso affairs done by Ronso."

"It's no trouble Kimahri. Besides...you've helped me so much, I want to help you."

At this, Kimahri didn't speak, merely humming out his approval. Yuna hoped the rest of the crew didn't mind her decision. She told Kimahri that they would come in the next day or two, and he would happily await their arrival. Now the only thing Yuna needed to do was explain this to everyone else. She decided it was better to wait until morning, as she now found it to be dark outside. Throughout the ship was only the snuggling sounds of sleeping Gullwings.

Yuna, not quite tired enough to go to sleep, instead went to the deck. It was cool outside, and a light breeze swayed through her hair. The sky was clear, with nary a cloud to cover the stars. She laid down, thinking of how peaceful it was. It was almost silent – only the tranquil chirping of crickets played in the background. Yuna rolled over to her side, resting her head on her arm. Yawning deeply, she curled up into a ball and fell asleep.

She was awoken by the sound of the Celsius' engines revving up to takeoff. Yuna freaked out, wondering what was going on. Once she regained her senses, or rather her senses woke up, she ran down to the bridge. Brother was launching the ship with Buddy speaking some directions to him. Paine was standing arms folded next to them. Hearing the door whoosh open, she turned around to greet Yuna.

"Hey, good morning Yuna. Where have you been?"

Yuna, still in distress mode, hustled down to the lower level, "Uh, hey guys...where are we going?"

"To Macalania," replied Buddy, spinning his head around, "Shinra caught a sphere signal coming from there."

Yuna bit her lip, "Um...hey, is it ok if..."

"Hmm?" asked Paine, looking at Yuna's worried expression, "What's up?"

"Is it alright if we change that?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" questioned Buddy perplexedly.

"Well, I was talking to Kimahri last night. I kind of told him we'd go to Mount Gagazet."

"I'm sure we can head there once we've done our investigating at Macalania." assured Buddy to Yuna's discontent.

"Er...you see, he's been having a lot of problems with the Ronso youth. I told him I would talk with them – maybe calming them down some."

"I'm sure Kimahri can wait." Paine commented, becoming slightly annoyed with Yuna pressing the issue.

"The Ronso are ready to go and kill the Guado. We can't just let them do that!"

"Look, we understand Yuna," spoke Paine with an angered tone to her voice, "but we're sphere hunters, not diplomats."

"I know that, but Kimahri has helped me so much in the past. I want to do something to help him." argued Yuna back.

"Yes, that's fine. But you can't go bailing everyone out of their problems. You always do that."

"Excuse me? So what if I help people to much – at least I do something to help others. Don't just worry about yourself!"

"Hmph! What, am I suddenly selfish now? Don't push that goodie-goodie crap on me!"

Yuna eyes boiled with rage, "Yeah! Maybe you need some goodness. Don't be such a bottled up brute!"

Furiously, Paine gave Yuna a shove, knocking her into the wall behind her. Meanwhile, Buddy desperately tried to diffuse the rapidly degenerating situation. However, he was ignored, as Yuna became maddened with rage. Her face was flush, and her eyes filled with scorn.

"The hell with you!" Yuna screamed at Paine, who was taken back by Yuna's outburst, "Don't think you can just push me around! I've felt a thousand years more suffering than you ever have!"

"What? You're not making any sense Yuna." she uttered in confusion.

"Figures you couldn't understand what that means, as cold and emotionless as you are!"

The sparking anger in Paine erupted, causing her to slap Yuna right across the face, again jolting her back into the wall. Buddy and Brother, both speechless, starred in awe as Yuna gripped her face. Tears ran down her cheeks, but her jaw clenched in fury. She leaped back at Paine, swinging tight-fisted at her, nailing her square in the face. The force behind it knocked Paine off her feet. She rubbed her lip, seeing blood on her fingers. Looking up, she saw Yuna in a total state of shock.

Yuna stood, just gazing in horror at her hand. She let out a feeble cry, and looked down at Paine. Viewing the blood running down her chin, she went ballistic. Crying out again, she ran as fast as she could up the stairs and out of the bridge. Rikku was walking out of the lift, and waved to her cousin. Yuna paid no attention, and shoved her out of the way as she boarded the lift. Stunned, Rikku tried to ask Yuna why the rush, but hadn't the chance. The lift went down, and Yuna went with it. Scratching her head, Rikku went forward to the bridge. There she saw Buddy breaking out a first-aid kit. Then she glanced at Paine, who was rubbing the blood of her face.

"W-what happened?" she asked, giving Paine a truly confused look.

Paine didn't reply – only looked at her with a terrible expression and shook her head. Rikku apprehensively closed her mouth, and decided not to ask again. While she didn't know exactly what happened, she knew it was between Yuna and Paine. She also knew it wasn't good.

Crazily, Yuna held her head, repeating "what have I done" to herself over and over. The lift stopped and opened the doors to the engine room. Yuna, ashamed and confused, ran to a small opening under the stairs. The roaring of the engines masked her agonizing sobs. She curled up into a little ball, crying uncontrollably. She replayed the whole incident in her head – only making her more miserable.

She asked herself why she had done that. The rage that she unleashed was something she had never felt before. She prided herself at being calm. Perhaps she would get mad from time to time, but never the kind of fury that exploded just a few minutes ago. To hit her own friend was unfathomable. Worse yet, she knew it was all her fault. She was the one who said they would go to Gagazet without discussing it with everybody else. Then, to whine until she got her way, that just wasn't who she was. But, was becoming a new person and becoming stronger – would she have this kind of rage if she became that kind of person?

Yuna hid in the engine room for the rest of the day. She most certainly didn't want to be found. Instead she stayed, curled up in a whimpering ball. Above her, sat Paine on her bed in the cabin. She, too, would rather have remained secluded. To her, the whole situation got worse from her own anger. The image of her slapping and pushing Yuna made her grip her fists together. She punched the bed, grunting in aggravation. She was her friend – one of the few she had. To slap her wasn't right at all. Thinking back, she knew she had never been good at controlling her anger. Going to Gagazet first wasn't that big of a deal. If only she consented, she realized to herself, the whole thing could have been avoided.

In the bridge, Rikku cautiously approached Buddy and Brother, who were mumbling to each other about the mess that occurred. Still unsure of what happened, she was worried about both Yuna and Paine.

"H-hey guys...um, what happened?" she asked meekly.

Buddy sighed, "A disaster...a complete disaster."

"I'm really starting to worry about Yuna." chimed in Brother, who had a serious expression on his face for the first since Rikku could remember.

Buddy proceeded to answer Rikku, to her misfortune. She gasped at his explanation, not believing Yuna would possibly do something like that. Never had she ever seen Yuna outburst in anger. Nevertheless, she witnessed herself Paine's bloody lip.

"Ya know. I've kinda been wondering if Yuna is alright."

"Me too," seconded Brother, "she's been acting strangely lately."

"Yeah, I've noticed too. All this craziness that's been happening to her lately must have gotten to her more than she let on."

Buddy nodded, "I think there's probably more to it. I'm starting to wonder if Yuna should be doing this anymore."

"What! You can't tell Yuna to quit! She'll be fine, we just gotta help her a little!" yelled Rikku angrily.

"Whoa, whoa Rikku...no one is telling her to quit. I'm just saying this ain't healthy for her. Especially with these sudden changes in mood. In the last week, she gone from depression to rage."

"She's been through a lot of trauma lately. First, there was the old priest in Kilika, then Shuyin in Djose. I think it's taking its toll." worried Brother, his face hung in concern.

"Yeah, I know. We just gotta be there for her. Well anyway, I'm gonna go check on Paine."

Brother and Buddy nodded, and Rikku left them on the bridge. In the lift to the cabin, she hoped to herself that they could reconcile quickly. She hated nothing more then to see her two closest partners hating each other. Whatever occurred between them, she didn't want it to linger. Paine was whom she would talk with first.

The lift's doors opened, and Rikku proceeded into the cabin. The bar was unattended, giving the room an eerily silent presence. She walked to the second level, and found Paine on her bed, staring out the window.

"Hey Doctor P..." she began hesitantly, trying to sound pleasant.

Paine nodded in response, but didn't reply. Her face drooped in sadness. It was clear as day that she felt ashamed for what happened. Knowing Paine was very strong-willed, Rikku was genuinely surprised to see her in such a state. Then again, she was only human – capable of feeling the same plethora of emotions just like anyone else. Nonetheless, it still remained an unpleasant sight. Rikku sat down next to her, and patted her on the back.

"I don't know totally what happened, but it's ok now. Don't beat yourself up for it..."

"Dammit Rikku!" she yelled suddenly, "I hit her, right across the face. For something so stupid...argh!"

"Calm down! Calm down...it's alright now. She'll get over it. The important thing is to just apologize."

"Yeah, but..."

"She'll forgive you. Remember, Yuna's that kinda person."

Paine finally cracked a smile at hearing this, "I guess your right, she's always been a goodie-goodie like that."

Rikku sighed, "I hope she stays like that..."

Upon speaking this, Rikku got up and headed down the stairs. Turning back around, she flashed Paine a glimmering smile.

"Hey, I'll be back. I'm gonna go get Yunie and we're gonna fix this, alright Paine?"

Paine nodded graciously as she watched Rikku leave the cabin. Pondering Rikku's words, or more specifically, what she said about Yuna remaining the nice person she was, Paine drew a disconcerting look on her face. Thinking back, Yuna had been acting out of her norm lately. Just as Buddy and Brother believed, she thought it was due to the chaos that she had dealt with lately.

Down in the noisy engine room, Rikku searched for Yuna, discovering her tucked beneath the balcony. She was leaning against the wall, a horrific expression that almost made Rikku cry. Slowly she approached her, kneeling down to embrace her cousin.

"There, there Yunie...it's ok now."

She gazed up Rikku, and immediately buried her face into her. Again a flood of tears came, as she balled hideously. For the first time, Rikku found herself giving the comfort instead of receiving it. Normally, she once thought, this would be a great gift to her cousin. But at that moment, it was terrible. Saying anything she believed would pacify her, Rikku gripped Yuna tighter. Finally, after a while, Yuna did calm.

"Oh Rikku...what am I becoming? I-I hit my own..."

"Shh..." whispered Rikku in her ear, "it's alright. She's forgiven you."

Yuna looked into Rikku's eyes, "D-did she? Did she really?"

Rikku smiled and nodded. Yuna sobbed again, but regained partial control of herself. Raising them up to their feet, she held Yuna's hand, and guided her up to the cabin. Paine heard their footsteps come nearer, and rose off the bed. She stood, hesitantly looking at Yuna's reddened face. The two simply starred at each other for a minute, neither one speaking a word in their awkward gaze. Then finally, they bowed their heads.

"I...I-I'm so sorry...please forgive me..." whimpered Yuna softly, choking back a tear.

"F-forget it. It was all stupid anyway. Besides...you gotta forgive me too ya know."

Yuna smiled, "Of course. We're still friends, right?"

"Yeah," nodded Paine, smiling slightly, "we're friends."

The two friends hugged, now that they had forgiven each other. They laughed, relieved that their grievance didn't lead to the horrible detriment that they both feared. Touched, Rikku ran up and bear hugged them both.

"Hey now, let's not get to mushy!" she exclaimed, gripping onto both of them.

The girls all laughed in tandem, as well as Buddy, Brother, and Shinra. The girls turned around, wondering how long they had been standing there. With the tension now gone, everyone joked around – giggling and laughter abound. They also made the joint decision to go to Mount Gagazet to help Kimahri. Yuna felt guilty for that, but they all told her to forget it.

"It's what we do!" belted Brother, busting out a lousy jig, "We are the Friendly Neighboring Gullwings after all!"

Everyone laughed at Brother and his stupidity. Not understanding the joke, he became frustrated at them, doing his little grunt-and-hop routine. This only added to their hysteria, as Rikku was now rolling on the floor laughing. Although the day began with fierce rage, it ended with mellow laughter. For at least today, the Gullwings reconciled. Still, in the back of all their minds, they knew the days to come would become ever more difficult.

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_**Next chapter:**__Kimahri tells the girls of the frustration the young Ronso feel. In an attempt to quell their anger, Yuna talks with Garik, who wants to lead an attack on the Guado. Although she came to prevent bloodshed, she finds herself in a position to spill it._


	24. Chapter 24 – Icy Rage

**Chapter 24 – Icy Rage**

Once again, I'd like to throw out that I've put the first twenty chapters into a single PDF file. If you want it, just email me and I'll sent it to you. My email: The usual proofreading stuff...

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As the snow-covered peaks of Mount Gagazet became larger in view, Yuna wondered what she would say to the Ronso. From the last time she was there, the Ronso youth had been plotting to attack the Guado. When they were still under Maester Seymour's leadership, they killed many Ronso. In Seymour's attempt to kill Yuna before reaching Zanarkand, he nearly wiped out their civilization. From this, unresolved hate lingered in the Ronso's blood. Yuna felt such things too, as did many who had life after Sin. While some had gotten past their old feelings, others had not.

Kimahri had been trying his best to unify the Ronso. However, he found it to be a most difficult task. Not only were they restless from their battles with the Guado, he was never able to bring them to a state of peace after Sin's destruction. The Al Bhed had slowly been integrating with the general populous of Spira. Machina, or rather "machines," had been gaining rising acceptance. The Al Bhed and their ancient machines were persecuted for so long by Yevon that most Al Bhed were weary of outsiders. Now the Al Bhed were opening up, especially if an opportunity proved lucrative, as in the case with Rin.

Yuna could now make out the crevices in the towering spire of the sky. The sun glistened off its white and snowy cap. A few sparkling flakes begun to stick to the windows. Yuna knew they would be landing shortly. Behind them was the jagged green plains of the Calm Lands. They touched down near the entrance to Gagazet. The girls got off the ship, while the boys looked for a better place to park. The winds were harsh that day. A hazy white cloud was kicked up around them; yet they could see the distinct figure of Kimahri approaching them.

"Greetings. Kimahri is glad too see old friends here." he spoke, his voice deep and coarse.

"Come here and give me a hug!" Yuna declared, running over to her former guardian.

"Aw, that's so cute." giggled Rikku, pointing to the two embracing awkwardly.

"Follow Kimahri, the Mountain is uneasy today. Must find shelter from the cold winds." he stated, motioning for the girls to follow him.

Up the mountain they trekked, covering themselves up from the chill of the wind. Snow flew in their faces. It was freezing to their skin – Paine sneezed an innumerable amount of times. Rikku teased her, saying she was allergic to snow. Finally they reached the mountain's caves. Although it protected them from the blizzard outside, its dank and musty interior wasn't much more pleasant. Kimahri slumped down on a rock, while Yuna stood next to him.

"I thank Yuna for coming all the way to Gagazet to help Kimahri." he spoke graciously.

"Not at all, not at all," Yuna dismissed, waving her hand at his perceived inconvenience, "I just hope I can help a little."

"Ronso youth not listen to Kimahri. Kimahri have trouble making them understand."

"It's alright. They just need someone else to explain it to them, that's all."

"Kimahri hopes so." he replied grimly.

Inside, Yuna wasn't any more sure if she could actually change the way the Ronso were feeling. However, knowing that if she didn't, there would be terrifying consequences. Kimahri further explained the situation. The girls were shocked by how bloodthirsty the young Ronso were. Garik, the one calling for the riot, was truly bent on seeing the Guado destroyed. For days, Kimahri illustrated, Garik had been thinking and planning for an impending attack. Unable to quell their rage, Kimahri was disappointed at himself for not being a stronger Elder.

Grunting from the other direction came the devil, or rather, Garik himself. His fists were clenched while he babbled madly to himself. Rising off of the rock he was perched on, Kimahri walked up to Garik. Focusing in on him, Kimahri gave him an ominous gaze.

"Is Garik not finished with his constant rambling?" growled Kimahri, his arms folded tightly.

"Garik is not rambling. Garik is planning for Ronso victory." he retorted with a snarl.

Kimahri shook his head, "Ronso need no more bloodshed, why cannot Garik realize this?"

"Hmph!" Garik scoffed, pushing Kimahri to the side, "Ronso need victory over Guado's crimes. Guado must pay for what they did."

"No! Listen to Mountain, Garik. Mountain speak of peace, not war. Ronso must listen to Mountain if they want to survive."

Garik didn't reply, and only kept traipsing past them. A look of anger fumed from his face. Yuna frowned, but understood his anger towards his aggressors. She felt the same way about Yevon not too long ago. But she realized that acting on her anger would have solved nothing. More than likely, the Ronso would have an easy victory over the divided Guado. In the same regard, the genocide of the Guado would do no more than to blacken what the Ronso were. She rushed behind Garik, catching up with him at an area of rock that jutted from the mountain.

"Garik, stop!" she commanded.

Turning around, Garik peered harshly at her. He stomped closer to her, still giving her a menacing look.

"What does Summoner want? Garik must go and tell Mountain of plan." he grumped.

"You can't do this. You can't kill the Guado."

"Why can't Garik. Guado take many of Garik's friends and loved ones. Revenge must be taken on Guado."

"No, Garik...you can't let yourself get tangled in a circle of revenge. It will only bring hopelessness to the Ronso."

"How can little Summoner know of Ronso's feelings?" he dejected, raising his voice louder.

"Because...I've felt some of the same emotions as you. Believe it or not, I've felt a lot of pain – a lot of anger against those who've harmed me." she said softly, throwing Garik off his snarl.

"Hmm...Garik believe Yuna. Yuna is respectable. Still, it does not change the fact that Guado had done unspeakable crimes against Ronso. What should Ronso do but take revenge?"

"Live at peace!" she declared, "Don't let your anger blind you from rebuilding."

"Ronso can't rebuilt until hatred is banished from them. Every day Garik feel anger that Garik can't get rid of."

"Killing the Guado won't solve your problem."

"Of course destroying the Guado would. Guado cause hatred, and Guado will get rid of hatred."

"You don't understand, those feeling don't dissipate that easily. What happens if you kill the Guado and you still feel anger residing in you?"

"Yuna speak in riddles. The Guado will absorb Ronso hatred with their blood!"

Rikku and Paine stood a few feet back, listening to the perpetual argument between Yuna and Garik. Both seemed to be stuck at a stalemate. Paine scorned at Garik's thickheaded attitude. She watched on as her friend desperately tried to make him understand his folly.

"Hatred only leads to more hatred. It's a never ending cycle. How can you not realize this?" Yuna yelled, becoming increasingly more frustrated.

"Guado deserve death! Many Ronso were killed by them. How can Yuna not understand that?"

"I do! But you won't solve anything by waging war. The Calm is already fragile enough. Spira doesn't need anymore wars."

"Then what should Ronso do? Ronso have no path to follow. Anger flows through veins of the Ronso. Something must be done to rid Ronso of it."

Yuna sighed, "As I said, you must work with Kimahri. He will lead your people to a solution."

"Ha! Garik not wait until Kimahri solve Ronso's problems. Garik will solve it with Garik's way!"

Garik began continuing his march to the mountain's peak. Yuna bit her lip, thinking of any way she could to convince him to stop his attack. She gripped her fists together, and ran towards him again.

"Is there no way I can talk you out of this?" she shouted to him.

"No," he answered bluntly, "Garik must do this for Ronso."

"Then what if I stop you?" she replied brazenly, to Garik's amusement.

"Little Summoner think she can stop Garik?"

"If I do, will you call off your attack?"

He paused, eying up Yuna precariously, "Very well, but Garik never fall!"

He whistled loudly, and soon two Ronso youth appeared next to him. Yuna pulled out both her guns, waving for Rikku and Paine to get ready. They looked at each other nervously, but complied.

"What are we getting ourselves into?" sighed Paine.

"Oh man, Yunie's definitely gotta stop acting tough..."

"Prepare yourself! But Garik not believe Summoner stop Ronso anger with puny arms!"

He dashed at Yuna, taking a brutish swing at her. Skillfully, she dodged, smirking all the while at him. The other two Ronso wanted to fight Yuna as well, but Paine and Rikku had other plans.

"You got us to worry about first!" charged Rikku, swirling her dual blades around in a spiral.

Yuna fired at Garik's feet, causing him to do a nimble dance in light of his large stature. Anger flared from his eyes, pulsating right into Yuna's heart. She understood more than he believed his pain. Life had not been all that much sweeter to her after Sin. She didn't quit living, though, and focus on some ridiculous and everlasting obsession – or did she? Stumbling momentarily, she bobbled her guns, and nearly fell down. Garik took this opportunity to charge furiously at her. With a hard punch he finished knocking her off her feet.

However, Yuna immediately got back up and whacked him with her gun. The handle of it cracked into his face, sending him stumbling backwards. Paine, not even given the time to aid her friend, recognized this reaction. She was the same way as before on the Celsius. In her eyes burned some kind of primordial rage, not like Yuna at all. Rikku, too, was immensely surprised by her cousin's instantaneous burst of force.

Yuna again hit Garik with the handle of her gun, brining him to a knee. One of the Ronso youth, seeing their own being beaten, ran over to defend. Keenly, the Ronso did a sliding tackle at Yuna, knocking her on her back. With a huff, Yuna let out a grimacing shriek as her feet were swept out from under her. Rolling on her side, she rubbed herself, squinting her eyes from the pangs. Now, true fury erupted in her.

Screaming, she sprinted at the young Ronso, and kicked him as hard as her body could. Her thick boot tip connected with his stomach. Only a feeble squeak of a yelp he emitted, as all his air was forcibly removed by Yuna. She went for another strike, but Garik grabbed her leg. Throwing her back, she managed to regain balance. Garik stood in front of her – his eyes feverish and scornful, glaring at her. Both woman and beast were locked in some sort of primitive stare. Like wild animals – carnivores seeking their next kill, they stood hopelessly deadlocked.

Then the two leaped into battle without hesitation, as if something deep within told them it was time to decide a victor. Both the girls and the Ronso youth looked on as mere spectators. They were frozen in utter disbelief from what they saw. Garik swung high over the little Summoner while he dodged her reckless kicks and punches.

They battled as two flames over one source of air. Neither wanted to burn out and admit defeat; the stakes were too high. If Garik lost, he would be disgraced, and once again be without a path. If Yuna failed, the Guado would be massacred. But beyond this, lying far within each of their hearts, raged a deep-conceited frenzy of another kind. The built up emotions from their pasts overtook them. Stripped down to bare naked instinct, they roared at each other. Whipping up the snow, they were enraptured by a dramatic fog of war. No one could make out what happened, but a piercing shriek cut through the air. When the cloud faded, only the sight of Yuna, kneeling in the snow, remained. She was unhurt, but broken down into tears. The girls ran over to her, wondering what had happened. Garik was no where in view.

"Hey, what happened to Garik?" asked Rikku anxiously, putting her arm around Yuna.

Her reply was a finger pointing to beyond the ledge. Paine and Rikku looked at each other, a terrible expression risen on their faces. Moving over to the ledge, Paine looked over, but only saw the snowy-white cloud fading into a long drop.

"He...he fell...I d-don't know how..." she finally chocked out.

The two young Ronso fled upon hearing that. Yuna crawled over to the edge, herself looking down at the abyss below. She knew there was no way he survived. Her emotions flared as she burst out a chaotic cry. Again, someone died because of her. Another life weighed on her shoulders.

She dove into her cousin's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. From behind them, Kimahri rushed over – the two Ronso youth with him. His face had nothing less than total horror on it. He stuttered to speak, but knew he had no need to. One of his tribesmen was dead.

It took all of them many hours to even come to grips with the situation. Yuna tried to explain what happened, but her mind went fuzzy. In the panic of battle, all she could remember was up to the long stare they had. After that, everything was a haze. Neither Rikku and Paine nor the two young Ronso could say what happened for sure. Apologizing to Yuna, Kimahri abstained her from any blame, as did the Ronso tribe.

"Garik die in battle Garik started. For that, Yuna cannot be blamed." he announced to her starkly, his tone shaky and unsure.

"I swear, I didn't try to kill him. I-I'm so sorry..." she replied, chocking back her tears that swelled back up.

"Kimahri know. No blame is put on Yuna. But, Kimahri think it best for Yuna to leave for a while. Ronso have much to reconcile."

She nodded, and immediately got up to leave. There would be no goodbyes, only solemn tears. Yuna did accomplish her goal, but at what cost. The Guado may be safe from the Ronso, but who was safe from her now, she asked herself. What she believed to be some pent up aggression now seemed to be more – much more. A dangerous entity swelled in her, unleashing a torrent of rage at will. She feared herself – she feared what she was becoming. Stronger she was, but in all the wrong ways.

On the Celsius, she slumped herself away in the cabin. She didn't talk or eat. Curling herself up, she shivered in fear from the only thing she couldn't run away from – herself.

* * *

_**Next chapter: **With another devastation to haunt Yuna, she wrestles to overcome her guilt and grief. All the while, they go to Macalania to investigate the sphere signals they found before. Never did they believe that those signals were coming from the sunken temple that was supposed to be long forgotten. If spheres still exists there, what other mysteries might the Gullwings uncover?_


	25. Chapter 25 – Plung into the Depths

**Chapter 25 – Plunge into the Depths**

**6/14/05: **The usual proofreading stuff...

* * *

The trees wavered gently with the breeze. For a forest, the atmosphere was desolate. Only a low, solemn chirping emanated from the wilderness. Because the temple had sunken far beneath the water, Macalania was dying. Slowly and painfully the foliage faded away. It used to be a majestic sight to walk from the deafening thunder into the pleasant life of the woods. Now, only a few residents remained. Since leaving Guadosalam, the Guado had been living in Macalania. These refugees sought some sort of peace in the forest, but found only company to wither away with.

Yuna pulled down her goggles to cover her eyes. The girls were about to take their dive into the lake, hoping to discover what sphere could possibly still be residing in the temple. They were surprised that the temple itself was intact, as it was buried at the bottom of the lake. Nonetheless, the sphere was definitely something worth investigating.

However, Yuna couldn't help but feel uneasy about the whole operation. Then again, she had been in a state of unending mood swings for the past two weeks. She glanced over at her cousin – her face marred with deterioration. Yuna had put everyone through hell since they left Gagazet. She turned to Paine, who replied with a half-angry look. There was still a great deal of tension between them. Adjusting her breathing mask, she initiated her oxygen. The water was calm – only a few, smooth ripples tattered the lake's top. Underneath, though, could have lurked anything. Yuna realized this, which led to her anxiety – her recent best friend. Thinking back, she'd been spreading it like the plague...

"Come on Yunie, you gotta eat sometime." whimpered Rikku desperately.

"I don't want to!" yelled back Yuna, throwing her bowl at the wall.

"Argh! Yuna, what the hell is wrong with you? As skinny as you are, you can't afford not to eat!" Paine roared, shoving Yuna back into her seat.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with me! Let me tell you – I'm going crazy!" she screamed.

"Yuna, control yourself! Just sit down and we'll talk." pleaded Buddy.

"Talking won't bring back Garik or the priest!"

"Yuna, those weren't your fault."

Yuna's eyes were bloodshot and swollen. Her cheeks were bright red, and snot ran out of her nose. Her appearance was as unsightly as any human could possibly be. Her anger erupted in random fits; any word could have agitated her at any moment. Paine all but had her in a headlock as she tried to keep her still. Rikku tried to force feed Yuna a spoonful of food. She gripped her mouth tightly. Yuna was tossing and turning madly. It was as if a wild beast inhabited her body. Rikku shoved the spoon into Yuna's mouth, almost gagging her with it. She tossed herself around, refusing to swallow.

"Swallow Yunie, swallow!" Rikku ordered, herself becoming upset.

Instead, she got hot food spit back into her face. She yelped, quickly wiping it off herself. She began to cry. Not from the spit food, but from her cousin's uncontrollable state. Brother walked over to her and rubbed her head. She planted her face in his chest, sobbing even greater from Yuna's distress. Yuna just starred at her, breathing heavily from her outburst. Her anger subsiding, she calmed – now turning back to tears with which to outlet her emotions. She coughed, and wiped the stringy band of snot from around her mouth.

"See...t-this is w-what...I always do..." she sobbed.

The Gullwings were silent. Brother took Rikku out of the room. Yuna fell to her knees, her faced buried in her hands crying. Paine knelt down to comfort her. Instead, she was pushed away by Yuna. Bewildered, Paine didn't know how to react. Buddy and Shinra could see it on her face – the total surprise of her rejection.

"Go away!" Yuna shrieked, "Just leave me alone!"

Paine stood up, herself now flooding with tears. She covered her choking, then rushed out of the room. Then was the first time any of them had seen Paine cry. Yuna, realizing what she had done, curled up into a ball, murmuring randomly to herself. Buddy and Shinra looked at each other, neither knowing what to do or say. They stood for a while, silent and saddened, until they realized they were powerless.

Yuna's maddened emotional state had slowly been tearing the Gullwings apart. No longer was there fun and games, nor was there the excitement of sphere hunting. Instead, it was replaced with anger, sadness, and an anxious feeling of torment. The water splashed as the girls dove into the lake. It was cold and dark – something the girls were reminiscent of. A few fish swam past them. Rikku turned on the light attached to her goggles. It was a long way to the bottom, and the trek was abysmal. Two years ago Yuna and Rikku ventured to the Macalania Temple. At the time, Rikku was perplexed as to how she could save Yuna from dying defeating Sin. Presently, she could care less about her cousin. It was a guilty feeling that kept her up at night for the past week...

She laid in her bed, looking woefully up at the ceiling. Brother had just tucked her in. He had consoled her during the past hour. For the first time in ages he comforted her as a brother should. While this pleased her, it paled in comparison to the heartache she felt from Yuna's predicament. She didn't know if she should be sad or angry. Yuna had always been there to aid her, comfort her – the picture of Yuna spiting food back into her face tortured her. She followed the shapes of the shadows projected on the ceiling. They moved with such fluidity; Rikku wished her cousin could be free like that.

Never had she remembered Yuna being such a torrent. Times before were terribly hard. Seymour had kidnapped her, she was to lose her life defeating Sin, not to mention that she lost the love of her life when it was all said and done. While she had conquered some of these hardships, losing Tidus had to hurt more than anything could upheave. She thought back to the days after Tidus and Auron disappeared, how Yuna was a wreck. Even then, she was stronger than now. Her chaotic actions, Rikku believed, must have stemmed from something else – something deeper. But Yuna refused to talk about it. All they could do was comfort her as best as possible.

She growled, and punched her pillow a couple of times. Thinking of Yuna's despair made Rikku angry. Her cousin knew that she wasn't alone. But to act so outrageously, and to pull the Gullwings into it, aggravated Rikku hideously.

"Why are you being so stupid Yuna!"

Bubbles flew past Paine's sight. The view was becoming darker as they plunged deeper into the lake. Only a few, peculiar species of fish lived this far beneath the surface. Luckily it was nothing dangerous. It seemed fiends didn't take to the freezing stark waters that far down. Paine would have preferred the warm, tropical seas of Besaid over this, however. She was tired of everything dark and cold...

On top of the Celsius Paine sat. Her arms were folded tightly, and her cheeks were flush. As tough as she thought she was, Yuna's rejection hurt more than any war wound. It was so sudden, it barely registered in her mind. Paine wasn't ever one for comforting and giggling, but being around Yuna and Rikku was changing that. She could only have imagined what it would have been like if she knew them before. Sighing heavily, she sat down, gazing into the sunset.

The pictures of Yuna's tormented expressions haunted her. They had been now every time she closed her eyes. Never had she felt so powerless as to do something. She worried that Yuna was fighting a battle she was sorely losing. Her poor friend was wasting away right before her eyes. She wondered if Yuna should stop sphere hunting, and settle down somewhere. Then again, it wasn't the job hurting Yuna – it was herself.

Nearing the bottom of the lake, the girls searched for the ancient temple. Flashing their lights around, Rikku spotted it far from where they believed it would be.

"There it is! All the way over there." she pointed, murmuring through the mask.

"I didn't think something that big could float this far." replied Paine in a muffled voice.

They proceeded over to where the temple resided. Amazingly, it was still mostly upright and intact. The sight of it impressed them, at least what they could see. Moving around to the opposite side, they found the entrance. Or, at least a large hole letting them in. Yuna crept up to the void in the wall, peering around with her mask's light. It shone nothing particularly spectacular. In her heart, she wished something would shine some light on her...

Her stomach gurgled as she sat, curled up on her bed. She hadn't eaten for three days. Another rumbled sounded as she scrunched herself tighter, hoping to make the terrible agitation go away. Food was merely a few feet down the stairs, as Barkeep would have been more than happy to prepare her a feast. But in her mind, she believed she didn't deserve to eat. Instead, her punishment would be to incapacitate herself, and waste away. Perhaps she'd be better in another place.

Maybe she would even be with him in another world. Somewhere they could be together happily and alone. No more problems, no more degradation, only peace and harmony – paradise. Those delightful thoughts quickly evaporated, and replaced with the miserable self-image of herself. She couldn't be with Tidus – not as what she became. He would be so ashamed to know what she had done. She rolled over, just wanting for some kind of peace to fill her soul.

"What do you see, Yuna?" asked Paine, swimming up behind Yuna.

"Nothing." she replied concisely, then moving forward into the temple.

They swam down a long stretching corridor, so very familiar to Yuna and Rikku. Fallen debris was everywhere, making for quite an obstacle course. Paine lifted up a broken pillar and shoved it out of their way. Rikku and Paine continued on, but Yuna paused.

"Come on Yuna, we're just getting started." commanded Paine, motioning for Yuna to follow.

"I-I don't know if this is a good idea..."

"Now's not the time for this!" growled Paine, yanking Yuna by the arm.

It wasn't the temple that she feared, it was what might be in it that did. The thought of another former aeon popped into her mind. The last thing she wanted was to fight another aeon. She tried to vocalized this, but Paine was too busy dragging her to pay attention.

Rikku didn't seem to listen either. Yuna quieted herself, realizing neither of them really cared what she had to say. Most disheartening to Yuna, was the fact that all her outrage had led to the pushing away her friends. While she knew she deserved it, it seemed unfair of them to condemn her. Their cold shoulder's hurt pierced far into her soul. Still, she remained silent, as it was the only thing that wouldn't cause them distress.

The water was dissipating the farther they swam down the corridor. By the time they reached its end, they were able to walk. Sludging through the water, they came to a fully intact door. Using all her strength, Paine jerked it open. On the other side it was clear of any flooding. The girls removed their masks. The air was slightly musty, but breathable. This area appeared quite differently then Yuna remembered it. It seemed all the ice had melted. Now it was void of the gigantic crystal structures that Yuna had to pass in order to reach the Chamber of the Fayth in Macalania.

She looked dauntingly around the chamber, a restless chill ran up her spine. Ignoring her shiver, she carefully walked over to where the entrance was supposed to be. Instead, she only found a doorway far above her head. Thinking to herself for a moment, she scratched her head. Perhaps she was going crazy, but she didn't believe her memory was being effected as well.

"What is it Yunie?" Rikku asked, noticing her perplexed look.

"Uh, hey...when was there a doorway up there?" she replied, pointing upward.

"I dunno. Maybe there was some ice bridge connecting to it?"

Yuna shrugged, and suggested they'd get something to climb with. A buzzing sound burst from Yuna's Comm. It was Shinra.

"How are you guys doing?"

"We're alright," she answered, still gazing up at the doorway, "we'll getting ready to climb up. I think the Chamber of the Fayth is after the doorway up there."

"Huh? Doorway up where?"

"Don't ask me, I don't remember it being up there."

"Funny, neither does my map..."

Rikku and Paine shrugged their shoulder at Yuna when she looked back at them. Truthfully, to them, it wasn't pertinent where the doorway was. They only needed to get to it. Paine, fortunately, had brought some rope for just such an occasion. She twirled the rope around like a lasso, and swung it up at the doorway. The hook on its end clanked when it snagged onto a rock. With a tug, she concluded it was firmly attached. She was the first to climb. Carefully she glanced over the ledge to peer into the doorway. When she saw nothing there, she finished her climb, and told Rikku and Yuna it was safe to come up. Rikku went next, although it took her a long time to stop sliding back down on the rope.

Yuna gave her a boost, and Rikku grunted as she slowly but surely made it to the top. Paine shook were head, making Rikku exert a tired little pout. Finally, Yuna climbed up, impressing the girls with how easy she made it look.

"Are you guys up there yet?" buzzed Shinra.

"Yeah, we're up. What's next?" asked Yuna, looking through the doorway.

"The sphere signal is coming from the Chamber of the Fayth as you guessed. Don't ask me where they were hiding it."

"Hmm...I just don't get it..." she whispered to herself, her nervous anxiety striking her again.

Regardless of her anxiousness, the girls proceeded further on, eventually reaching the their goal. Still, Yuna couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. Even Rikku thought things were different than she remembered.

"I really don't remember this section at all." she commented, glaring peculiarly around at the walls.

"Me too – none of this seems right."

"Are you sure you just don't remember?" Paine questioned, not understanding how they weren't be able to recall the temple's layout.

Finally, they came to a dead end, with only a single, stone door blocking their way. Yuna and Paine gripped hold of it. Grunting and groaning harshly, they managed to pull it open. Rikku stuck her head in. Searching around, the only thing she could see was darkness.

"What do you see in there?" whispered Paine to her.

She retracted her head, "Nothing. It's pitch black in there."

Yuna glanced in, seeing a gigantic expanse of black. The room was entirely without light. Paine got her mask back out, and turned on its light. She flashed it around the room, but found nothing significant. The only thing still there was some rubble and a few fallen pedestals. Taking a few brave steps in, Yuna guided herself by Paine's light. On a rock she stumbled, but gracefully kept control of her balance.

"I don't get why it's so dark..."

A thunderous roar echoed form the room, causing Yuna to fall down in shock. Suddenly, an array of blazing lights burst from the ceiling. A hideously familiar cackle belted from the other side. Kinoc stood, his heckling laughter infuriating Paine instantly.

"I see you've finally decided to come and investigate the sphere here."

"No way, it's Kinoc!" bellowed Rikku.

He chuckled, his face displaying his trademark smug attitude, "Very perceptive. I've been waiting for you three."

"N-no way! How did you get down here?" stammered Paine.

"I have my ways. But don't think this was some sort of side trip. No, I've been planning carefully for when you'd step into this rackety old temple beneath the lake."

"Argh!" shouted Paine irately, "Why don't you float away to where you belong!"

"That's no way to treat a man whose prepared for you such a grand party."

"What? A-a party?" Yuna stuttered, painful memories of Kilika seeping back into her thoughts.

"Oh, it's your going away party. Going far away – to the Farplane!" he declared, belting out another insane laugh.

"The only one going to the Farplane should be you. I think it's way past due for you to rot!" countered Rikku, her eyes blazing with anger.

"We'll see...but first, we must introduce your party guest."

A beam of light illuminated next to him, casting the light on what truly was one of Yuna's former friends – Shiva. The aeon blew her former summoner an icy kiss. Yuna stood in a metaphorically frozen state, although it felt all too real to her. Her heart sank into her gut, and her body began to feel cold and numb – once again she would have to fight another former aeon. One again, she knew the pain was unavoidable.

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Things heat up, or rather, cool down at the bottom of Lake Macalania. As part of Kinoc's devilish plans, the girls face off against Yuna's aeon, Shiva. It's a battle to the death that may result in the Gullwings becoming human popsicles. _


	26. Chapter 26 – Failing Hope

**Chapter 26 – Failing Hope**

**6/15/05: **The usual proofreading stuff...

* * *

Caught in a trap, the girls were cornered like rats in Kinoc's underwater trap. Unfortunately, it was far too late to do anything about it – except to fight. Paine shot a sharp, menacing glare at Kinoc, wanting to rip his throat out from his neck. From this, Kinoc gathered a multitude of sick pleasure, prevalent in his demonic laughter. To him it seemed, this was all a twisted game he was playing. His desire for power drove him to the brink of insanity. Not one of the girls were ready to go another round with his plots. After Kilika, the only thing they wanted was to see Kinoc sent to the Farplane, or some other far away place where Spira could be rid of him.

"I'll have so much fun with Spira when you're gone. It's a pity you won't be around to enjoy it." he cackled, burning death into their eyes.

"Don't bet on it!" shouted Rikku, her fists clenching her twin blades.

He smirked, "Heh, oh I will bet on it! I will massacre the heathen Al Bhed, enslave the masses, and make myself a nice summer home in Besaid. Those quirky little islanders will make such nice lapdogs."

Believing he'd get a rise out of Yuna, he was instead surprised to find she wasn't even listening to him. Blankly she starred at her former aeon; her hand shivered with anxiety. She blinked rapidly.

He grunted at her, upset for her lack of response, "It seems your summoner friend is in another world."

Paine and Rikku turned to look at her, themselves seeing her dazing off into nothingness. Her heart felt as though it was sinking out of her body. Retracting herself to the inner realms of her mind, she pictured the forthcoming battle with Shiva. Her suffering compounded upon itself. This was yet another link in her chain of despair and confusion.

"Let's...just get this over with." she spoke, staring coldly at the ground.

"Hmm? In a hurry to die, Summoner Yuna?" Kinoc asked with a chuckle.

Yuna now looked up Kinoc, "I don't care what happens at this point. I'm so tired of fighting and...and the pain it causes."

"Yuna, what are you saying?" Paine burst worryingly.

"I'm saying I don't care if I live or die! I just want to stop feeling pain!"

"Don't say that," whimpered Rikku, her eyes half-watery, "you can't say that!"

"Aw, I'm touched," chimed Kinoc sarcastically, "then I say it is time to finish this. Shiva, attack!"

With his command, the aeon leaped into battle, a trail of icy vapor flowing behind her. She moved gracefully around the girls with speed, her sudden action catching them off guard. Not to be mesmerized by her elegant dancing, the Gullwings went into their standard triangular attack formation. Rikku led off by chucking a red grenade at the aeon. Agilely, she swatted it away, and it exploded harmlessly beyond her. It became apparent that this battle would not be won with any sort of ease.

Yuna had her battle plans elsewhere. She glared around, searching for Kinoc. Her thirst for his blood was immense. If she destroyed him again, she thought, then she could be free from all the torment. In the back of her mind, she wondered where Shuyin was. It was very peculiar that she never saw the two together, especially since they were in cohorts with one another. Irregardless, Kinoc was her primary concern. Yet, he was no where to be found. He had vanished from where he stood during Shiva's attack.

Focusing back on the aeon, she witnessed her blasting freezing magic at her partners. Rikku ducked for cover behind a fallen pillar of stone. Paine shot orbs of black magic at Shiva, hurting her a bit. In the process, she hurt herself as well.

"Jump in any time Yuna!" she grunted.

Yuna's face grew firm with determination. Pulling out her pistols, she raced behind a pedestal, eying up Shiva in her sights. Firing off three shots, the aeon swirled with fever out our their paths. Frowning, Yuna figured Shiva would be a daunting task to kill.

The stone rubble began to crack and crumble as Shiva chased the girls with spikes of ice summoned from the ground. The aeon face showed her sick pleasure in attacking her former summoner. It was the same as with her other former aeons. Whatever spell Kinoc cast on them, it contorted any loyalties they may ever have had.

Nimbly Shiva pranced around them, dodging anything the girls would throw at her. Paine attempted another shot of dark energy, but missed. She fell to a knee, needing to recover from the drain the spell put upon her body. She groaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Shiva took this opportunity to lash at her, smacking her into a pile of freshly-created debris. Rikku shrieked, but she was alright.

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Paine roared, rubbing the dirt off her body, "and I'm getting pissed!"

"Shiva, you must stop!" bellowed Yuna, who was standing merely inches from Shiva.

Her eyes locked in with her aeon's. For a moment, they were bonded together. Yuna sensed, deep within the soul of Shiva, that she didn't want to harm her former summoner. Their eyes reflected a common pain, as if two mirrors were set up to reciprocate the same light. But that feeling lasted only a moment, as Shiva then blasted Yuna hard with her icy hand. A sweltering cloud of frosted wind exploded from the contact, sending Yuna flying to the other end of the chamber. She howled, both in surprise and in ache, as she plummeted to the floor.

As quickly as she echoed, did her eyes fade shut. Overcome by a swirling darkness, she watched as her former aeon blurred from her sight. Into the depths of her mind she went, or rather, she fled. Far within her heart, she had no desire to fight or resist. Only peace was what she craved. While her desire was small, she now found herself surrounded by a massive expanse – a pitch-black void with only her in it.

_She looked all around, trying to understand where everyone went. The faint sounds of what she believed to be her comrades faded in and out. From one direction to another she ran, but the muffled sounds shot from all around her. Confused, she let out a grunt, and plopped herself down on the darkness which she stood upon. Her barrings were nonexistent, frustrating her to her boiling point._

_"Why?" she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Why can't I ever find my way?"_

_"Because, it seems we are destined to be perpetually lost." said a voice from behind._

_Surprised, Yuna swung herself around to listen to the person whom was speaking to her. But such was needless, as she instantly recognized the voice. It was from a person she didn't know, yet knew all too well. Lenne, the ancient summoner, the one who had invaded her dreams many times before, was once again next to her._

_Yuna rushed up to her, saying angrily, "You – you are always here! Why must you torment me?"_

_Lenne shook her head, "It isn't I who torments you. We are the same, you and I..."_

_"W-what do you mean?"_

_"We are both afflicted by the same pain – unrequited love."_

_"I had my love...and I've been searching for him! I'm not supposed to be..."_

_"It's alright, I understand how you feel better than you could realize. My love, too, was taken from me. I've yearned for him for...for so long..." Lenne paused, desperately holding back her tears._

_Yuna reciprocated with watery eyes of her own. She bowed her head, finally realizing they were both in the same horrible condition. For Lenne, it was probably much, much worse. Not only was Shuyin stolen from her, but she had to endure a thousand years of loneliness and desire. Yuna was being destroyed by her longing for Tidus. It was hard enough for her to go day by day, let alone a thousand years._

_"I'd normally say we have hope...but I feel so hopeless anymore." she replied, a teardrop rolling down her cheek._

_Lenne cracked a sad smile, "Even the strongest of wills cannot live under such conditions. I used to hold out hope, but now I just...sulk, if there's even a word for it."_

_Yuna bit her lip, as she was reminded by her own suffering, "Yes, I understand."_

_"But it's not too late for you," Lenne continued, "you can still have hope...you can still have the one you love. For me, my Shuyin, he became absorbed with his desire for revenge."_

_"At least you know he still exists. I...I've been chasing nothing more than shadows. How can you love what isn't real? Maybe it would have been easier if I knew he was a spirit...in the Farplane, you know. At least then, I could see him. More than likely, he does not, and will never exist again."_

_Lenne put her hand on Yuna's shoulder, both sharing a solemn, heartbroken tear. Yuna began to break into a plethora of tears, thrusting herself into the arms of Lenne. She embraced her, rubbing her softly on the head._

_"It's been a long time since I've comforted somebody. I forgot what it feels like." she whispered in Yuna's ear._

_She didn't respond, only continuing her furious crying. Unfortunately, even though the two understood exactly how the other felt, it was truly hopeless for two sadden souls to console each other. _

_"Then...then Yuna, if you can't have him back, cherish the memories you did share together. I-I don't really want to tell you this...but they fade so quickly..."_

_Yuna raised her head to look at Lenne, who was staring away from her, tears dripping from her eyes. She had experienced the very thing Lenne spoke of. From time to time, she would wake up, and not be able to remember what Tidus' face looked like. Or at times, the sound of his voice would cloud up in her mind. She would become frantic when this would occur. It terrified her to think she would lose the few, precious memories she had with him. And now with Lenne telling her the very thing she feared most, she pushed her away._

_"Please don't cry anymore Yuna. As I said, there is still hope for you. Don't give up!" she pleaded, shocked by Yuna's sudden aversion._

_"Shut up – just shut up!" Yuna shouted, throwing her fists into the air, "How can you stand there and tell me to keep hope after what you've just said? I...I only want to the pain to end..."_

_Lenne walked over to Yuna, who was crouching on the ground, sheltering her tears. Kneeling down, she hugged Yuna. For a moment, she tried to convey whatever sense of confidence her soul had left in it. Yet she couldn't quell the endless suffering a broken heart begets._

For however long she was out, now she began to come back into reality. Phasing in, was the sights and sounds happening around her. Nearby, she heard grunts and yells, as well as the sound of breaking glass. Sitting up, she peered into its direction. Once focused, she saw Rikku and Paine still attacking her former aeon. They had her pinned in the far corner. Shiva was shooting blasts of ice at the girls, which was the crackling sound Yuna heard.

Upon further investigation, she noticed her friends were quite scraped up. For a moment, she set aside her depression as she knew she must, and gripped her guns. It was go time! She sprang up, and darted over the where the action was. She slid in beside her cousin, and fired off a couple of shots. These connected, as their piercing metal projectiles nailed right into Shiva's abdomen. The aeon, knocked back by their concussions, slumped over in the corner. Just as fast as she left the fight, Yuna found herself victorious.

Rikku and Paine had this very expression plastered all over their faces. Whatever just happened, and wherever Yuna came from, they were glad to see their friend was still in a good fighting condition.

"Um...way to go Yunie?"

There was no time for celebration, as a violent tremor shook the pillars from the walls, knocking dirt and stone alike to the floor. The rumble only grew worse, and the girls feared a cave-in. Quickly they put their masks back on and hurried for where they entered the temple at. As they were running, they heard the voice of Kinoc blast from around them.

"You can run, but you'll never escape!"

It was another part to his trap. Sprinting back to where the water filled the temple, they all dove in, and propelled themselves with haste. Bricks and stones sunk down into the crumbling temple, giving them a maze of deadly object to avoid. It became more difficult to find their way, as the foam created by the innumerable amount of sinking rocks hazed their sight. Luckily, they managed to make their way to the hole in the side of the temple. They were free from the death hole Kinoc had set for them. Rikku happily turned to cheer with her cousin, but she wasn't behind her. She searched around frantically, looking for where her Yunie was.

"Paine...Paine!" she cried through her mask, "Where's Yunie?"

Paine turned to look, "I don't know? I thought she was behind you?"

The girls swam quickly back around and inside the temple. It was apparent that the temple would collapse any moment. Hysterically they searched for Yuna. Finally, Paine spotted her, trapped under a fallen block of stone. She was still conscious, but they didn't know how injured she might be. They had little time before they would become trapped as well – permanently.

"Don't worry Yuna, we'll have you out in a jiff!" calmed Paine, seeing panic in Yuna's eyes.

She shook her head distraughtly, "No! You'll get killed!"

They ignored her warning, and attempted to lift the large stone pinning their friend down. It was extremely heavy. They were afraid if they slid it, it might crush Yuna. But they had no time to be concerned. As it was, they would all die in moments. Yuna continued to plead with them to make them stop; they refused to save themselves without their friend.

"C'mon Paine," yelled Rikku, "on the count of three...three!"

Using all their might, Rikku and Paine managed to shove the stone off of Yuna. Helping her to swim, the girls motored out of the temple. With only seconds to spare, they found themselves edging past death once again. Relieved, the girls watched as the temple disintegrated onto itself. Finally, they left for the surface, ready to get out of the water.

Shinra, along with Brother and Buddy were standing waiting for the girls to surface. Shinra had picked up the massive underwater tremors from the crumbling temple. Quietly standing, staring intently at the lake, they patiently hoped for the girls safe return. And to their immense pleasure, the girls swam to the surface. Buddy and Brother helped them out of the water. Paine and Rikku were however more worried about Yuna than the guys' relief.

"Hay...hey Yunie?" asked Rikku in the process of removing her mask, "are you ok? Are you hurt bad?"

She shook her head, gasping from breath, "No...a little bruised maybe, but I'm alright."

It was now Rikku and Paine who were sighing a breath of relief. They hobbled back to the ship to dry off. Barkeep broke out some first-aid kits, as the girls were fairly swollen and bruised.

"Man, what were you guys doing down there?" Buddy questioned, scratching his head.

"Fighting for our very lives! That's what." grunted Rikku, putting some ice on her shoulder.

"Hmph! That bastard Kinoc set up a nice trap down there. I swear I'm gonna kill him...again!" raged Paine, applying some ointment to her forehead,

"I thought I was a goner. Thanks guys..." smiled Yuna for the first time in a while, bandaging up her leg.

The girls returned her smile and nodded. Barely making it out of the temple was a near-tragedy that made them all take notice to their lives. They also concluded that the next time they would meet Kinoc, they wouldn't be as lucky. Also, the next time they faced off, they would need to defeat him, or else they and Spira would be in great danger.

That night, Yuna walked back to the lake. Crickets chirped around her. It was a calm and dark night. With only the moonlight shining down upon the lake, it gave her a feeling of seclusion, and peace. She remembered what Lenne had said to her as she laid down next to the lake. Her mind filled with Tidus and her, swimming in that very lake. How happy she was, she thought, when he kissed her, and told her he would be with her no matter what. She rolled on her side, gently splashing the water with her hand. She could picture them together in the ripples of the water.

With silence around her, and her mind finally cleared, she closed her eyes. Lulling off to sleep, she glanced one final time into the water. She may have nearly died today, but this was the same place that made her feel truly alive for the first time. Again, she precluded herself to her inner thoughts.

_She swam elegantly through the waves of the lake. Its ripples faded into the distance. Perched on a branch hovering over the lake, sat Lenne, watching Yuna cut through the lake's water. She rested her head on her knees, carefully regarding Yuna's every stroke. She noticed now that Yuna had a calmer sense to her than before._

_"How have you decided to live from now on, Yuna?" she asked, causing Yuna to pause her swimming._

_"I'm not sure yet..." Yuna replied, doubt in her tone._

_Lenne didn't respond, merely kept to gazing at Yuna. She let out a subtle sigh, and looked up at the stars. They twinkled with solemness in the sky, each one so far separated from the others._

_"Maybe I'll keep holding on to hope. Or perhaps I'll run away from it all...I haven't decided." Yuna said, watching the moonlight's reflection surrounding her._

_Lenne smiled with sadness, "You can never run from it. No matter how far you think you are from the pain and anguish, it will always be right next to you."_

_Yuna glanced up at Lenne, and the two locked eyes. She could feel what Lenne was feeling, and Lenne the same. Each one searched in the other for some sense of relief, but each found only a faded glimmer of it. The compounding of anger, fear, sadness, regret – it diminished whatever hope there might have been._

_"So, then my options aren't very much..." sighed Yuna, "maybe...I'll just end myself."_

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_**Next chapter: **The girls hear of a terrible dilemma inside the Cavern of the Lost Fayth. Something has happened to the tourists who ventured inside the mysterious cave. The Friendly Neighborhood Gullwings, for a small fee, decide to check it out. Through the chaos, Yuna finds herself alone, facing another former aeon – but never as before._


	27. Chapter 27 – Tourist Trap

**Chapter 27 – Tourist Trap**

**6/15/05: **The usual proofreading stuff...

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A trio of people sprinted past the girls, yelling something about a monster in the cave. In fact, there was much chaos occurring outside the cavern. The girls weren't quite sure what to make of it. Another pair of stragglers ran amok from inside the cave. A large group of people were panicking near the entrance, scrambling around to determine what was causing the trouble.

"Man, what's going on here?" Rikku wondered, scratching her head at the nutty people racing about.

Yuna shrugged, "I wish I knew. All Shinra said was that there was an accident of some sort?"

Paine looked at Yuna and shook her head. Perhaps they should ask somebody, she suggested. It wasn't everyday that a group of tourists go berserk. Still, knowing what was in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth, the girls, at least Yuna and Rikku, weren't the least bit surprised that something like this would happen. Aside from Cid converting Zanarkand to a playground, turning the Cavern into an attraction angered them more than anything since the defeat of Sin. Nonetheless, there wasn't much they could do about it. But now, they could at least collect a small profit from it.

Paine approached an elderly woman to ask of the situation, "Ma'am, just what's happening here?"

"Oh...it's terrible," she strained in a squeaky voice, "many people were chased by terrible fiends. Now they're lost in the cave and can't get out."

Rikku grunted, "Didn't you know it was dangerous in there?"

"I had heard that fiends once resided there. But I believed the company had gotten rid of them all."

Yuna sighed, and turned to face Buddy, "Well, we got a job?"

"Yeah we do." he replied, flicking a thumbs up.

"Eh, are you going to help us?" the old woman questioned, her eyes getting large in anticipation.

"Yes, we are." Yuna smiled.

"Thank you...you're most kind."

And with that, the girls leaped into action. Although at first, they crept into action, once reminded as to how creepy the cave was. It was dank, musty, and cold. Even though the place was a tourist attraction, it appeared as though it hadn't been cleaning in a few thousand years or so. The girls had heard one of the company officials speaking about "atmosphere," or something of the sort. Rikku thought the atmosphere sucked. Cobwebs lined the smooth, rocky walls. The girls could see large, juicy spiders crawling on the ground around them.

Then they heard a faint noise coming from farther into the cave. It sounded like the voice of a man, whimpering cowardly. They ran around a corner, and walked back into a large crevice. Their sudden appearance frightened the living daylights out of the man.

"No! No! Go away – don't eat me!" he shrieked, curled up in the back corner.

"It's ok, we're here to help you." calmed Yuna, extending her hand.

The man peeked his one eye open, "Huh? Oh, you're not fiends. Well then, let's get out of here!"

Lifting the man up, they told him to follow them as they proceeded deeper into the cave. When he freaked, Paine ordered him to. Much obliged, the quartet resumed their walk through the cave. Ahead of them, they spotted a woman hiding in a little fissure. She poked her head out of the shadows, smiling when she saw the girls approaching her.

"A-are you here to rescue me?" she cried, leaping out of the fissure.

Yuna nodded, "Yes we are. Please, follow us!"

The woman happily agreed. Paine glanced left and right, wondering which path to go down first. Rikku rubbed her chin, thinking the same thing. She turned around to ask the man and woman if they saw anyone else go down this way. The man shrugged, as he ran like a little girl until he curled up in the crevice. The woman, too, shrugged, as she hid as soon as the fiends attacked.

"I think we ought to go right," Yuna spoke, pointing that way, "if I remember correctly, this way was a dead end."

"Yeah, good idea. We can see if anybody's hiding there first." subscribed Paine.

Leading the way, Rikku started down to the right. But as soon as she planted her first step, a large, floating fiend phased through the stone wall. The hovering skeleton-like fiend pointed its bony finger at Rikku, causing her to shriek and hide behind her cousin. It began to chant, and then waved its arm violently, conjuring up a dark fiend from its magic. With a hideous chuckle, a little demon-like entity appeared out of thin air. With it, was a boiling cauldron and clouds of mystic fog swirling around it. Not liking any of this, Paine immediately charged the hovering skeleton. With one clean slice, she split it in half, shattering the bony fiend into a million pieces. The magical spirit looked at Paine with a petrified look, and with a yelp suddenly disappeared. Feeling good, she cracked a smug smile.

"Wow! Why couldn't have you guys came earlier?" commented the man, applauding for Paine.

"Heh, well, you know...all in a day's work..." blushed Paine.

Still cowering behind Yuna, Rikku peeked her head out to see if the fiend was gone. She exhaled a sigh of relief, and promptly resumed her position as point. Yuna chuckled under her breath, and followed behind Rikku. The man and the woman quickly scuttle behind her, not wanting to get eaten by a fiend.

"Hey, why am I the rear?" jolted Paine, who huffed at the tail end of the line.

Following the narrow corridor, at the end the girls found a couple sitting at its end. They didn't seem to be in any sort of panic. In fact, they were in a heated argument with themselves.

"I told you we should have went to Kilika. It's so nice there now!" grumbled the wife, bickering at her husband.

"The man I talked to said this was safe." retorted the husband.

"Um, are you alright?" interrupted Yuna.

This startled the couple, who leaped into each others' arms. Yuna herself was surprised by their sudden outburst, and ended up tripping over Rikku, who was behind her. And the chain reaction continued, as the woman fell over the man. Paine, not aware of this because she was just catching up to them, ended up crushed by a pile of people.

"Argh! W-what the hell is wrong with you people?" she yelled, right into the man's ear, "G-get o-off of me!"

Both Rikku and Paine smiled at Paine's madden eruption, although the man and woman were quite frightened by it. They both apologized, as did Rikku and clumsy-Yunie. Once everyone was calmed, the man and the woman explained a little more into the incident.

"You see, my husband booked us a tour..." she began, "we're from Luca."

"Really? Are you on vacation or somethin'?" poked Rikku.

The husband nodded, "Yep. We had discussed going on a second honeymoon for many years. With Sin destroyed, I thought now we could finally do it."

"But of course, he has to do the stupidest thing..." the wife growled.

"Geez, it's not my fault, honey! How would I know something like this would happen?"

"Hmm...let's see now. Oh dear, let's take a tour of a fiend-infested, dirty, ancient cave. Nothing will surly happen to us...use your head!"

The girls were doing all they could to hold back their giggles. So were the man and the woman standing behind them. Such a feud was probably what had stirred up the fiends. Anybody would want to get them out of their home, the girls thought.

"This is the last time I book from a midget!" roared the husband, "little duck-hatted guy told me this was 100 percent safe!"

This eloquent description triggered a light in Yuna's mind, "You wouldn't be talking about Tolbi, would you?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Oh, we're familiar with him," sighed Paine, folding her arms, "is he here?"

The husband nodded, "Yeah, yeah he is."

"Then we better find him. I'm sure he's gotten himself into a lot of trouble." suggested Rikku, throwing her arms behind her head.

"You'd better find the little bastard before I do. If the fiends don't kill him, I will!" rumbled the husband, then getting thwacked by his wife.

"Settle down, dear. If you cause any more fiends to come..."

"Uh, let's get these people out of the cave." spoke Yuna, before the wife could finish her sentence.

"I'll take them back," smiled Rikku, bouncing around, "and you guys can keep searching through the cave."

Paine chuckled, "Sounds like a cope out..."

"Hey!"

"Actually, that sounds like a good idea." nodded Yuna.

After sticking her tongue out at Paine, Rikku guided the four refugees back to the entrance of the cave. Meanwhile, Yuna and Paine ventured on. This time hanging a left, they found a few more fiends roaming about. Yuna remembered all the creepy fiends that resided in the Cavern.

But perhaps the most scary of them all, was a little green turtle with a chef's knife and lantern. As they neared another intersection in the cave, they found a little Tonberry hobbling along. Paine drew her sword upon sighting it, but Yuna raised her arm against it.

"No, Paine," she whispered, "don't hurt it. It looks kind of friendly."

"What? I don't think those things are friendly Yuna." she disagreed, raising an eyebrow at Yuna's comment.

In proving her point, Yuna walked up to the little Tonberry. Kneeling down near it, she called for it to come to her. It turned around, but didn't move. She reached out with her arm, attempting to entice it. Finally, it began to approach, at its amazing slow speed. Paine's faced tightened with a bad anticipation. The pitter-patter of the little Tonberry's feet crawled ever closer to Yuna. But all that happened was Yuna rubbing the cute little Tonberry on the head. Paine sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose, thinking Yuna was going to kill her one of these days.

Her true scare suddenly sliced right in front of her. This time, a gigantic knife flew inches in front of her face, taking a huge chunk out of the cave wall. In shock, Paine leaped backwards. The appearance of what had to be the tallest Tonberry she had ever seen stood before her. She blinked a couple of times, not believing what she saw. Unlike the cute little Tonberry Yuna attracted, this was big and mean – not to mention its angry-looking face. She got to her feet, and immediately drew her sword. She glared at it, as it charged her. Slowly, slowly, it charged her. Not wanting to wait an hour for it to attack again, Paine rushed at it, swiping her sword. In the most nimble display she had ever seen, Paine found her sword dodged, as the gigantic Tonberry jumped into the air. It did an amazing wall-climb on the cave's ceiling, and plopped down to her back.

Meanwhile, Yuna sat, holding the little Tonberry in her arms. She starred in awe as Paine and the gigantic Tonberry battled to the death. At least, between the long pauses as the gigantic Tonberry hobbled after her. In Paine's fury, she sliced a big chunk of its tunic, angering the Tonberry. With haste, it countered by smashing its lantern of Paine's head. Finally, Yuna stood and walked over to the gigantic Tonberry. It raised its long knife, but saw her holding the little Tonberry, which made a cute little squeal. She extended her arms, still carrying the Tonberry. This caused the gigantic one to halt its attack. The little Tonberry jumped into its arms lovingly.

Back into the darkness the two Tonberrys went, holding each other's hand. Paine, absolutely confused, scratched her head, then winced at the big lump she had. Yuna giggled, patting her friend on the back.

"Ugh...I hate those little green freaks..."

Proceeding forward, the girls searched in every nook and cranny. In a little corner they found another woman, hiding her face in the cave's wall. She was shivering frightfully in a delirious fit.

"Ah! Y-you can't see me! I'm not h-here!" she shuttered, cramming her face into a crack in the wall.

"No, ma'ma...ma'am..." called Yuna.

"You can't eat me! Go away! Go..."

Paine shook her head, and grabbed the woman from her hiding space. She still refused to open her eyes, and instead buried them in her hands. Paine said that she would be alright, yet she still remained afraid. It wasn't until Yuna poked her on the head, and explained they weren't fiends.

"Oh, oh I'm so sorry. Heh, now I feel kind of foolish." she chuckled, still shaking.

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, did you see anybody else around here?" asked Paine.

The woman, still attempting to regain control of herself, muttered, "Huh? Um, let me see...uh...yeah there was."

"And..."

"Oh, right! It was a little guy. The guy who told me about this place...Tolbi, I think. He ran off that way." she replied, pointing deeper into the cave.

The girls looked at each other, and back tracked to the intersection, once again resuming their trek further into the cave. Not long after they walked through the curving tunnel did they hear a quiet scamper ahead of them. Darting behind a rock was the one and only Tolbi. Paine couldn't help but laugh at his distress. He couldn't bargain his way out of this mess.

Yuna bent over, and tapped on the rock he was hiding behind. Tolbi jumped up, and shrieked something about not being appetizing. She smiled, and stuck her head back to look at him. He peeked up, and saw the glimmering smile of Yuna. Relieved, he hopped from his hiding space, trying to appear suave.

"Well hello Miss Yuna. Fancy meeting you in a place like this." he commented, hobbling out from his rock.

"Truly it is. Um...I heard from some people that...well, this was an idea of yours?" she questioned, giving him a stern look.

He gave her an uneasy smile, "Oh well...about that. You see, I don't run this attraction, but another company does. Anyway, they needed some advertisement, and I was happy to help – for 10 percent."

Paine and Yuna shook their heads. Tolbi emitted a feeble chuckle, and started pacing around. He looked as nervous as the woman they just found. Maybe it was just them, but they weren't undaunted by a couple of fiends. Then again, they fought them constantly, so they had become very desensitized to the matter. Nonetheless, they needed to press forward. Tolbi explained to them that she saw a few more people run off ahead of him. Therefore, deeper into the Cavern they must go.

Uninterrupted, they walked to the final area before the Chamber of the Fayth. Huddled near the teleporter, was a woman and two small children. Rightfully afraid, the children were shivering next to each other, with their mother holding them tight. She noticed the group enter, and got up to speak.

"Are...are you hear..."

"Yep. We're the rescue squad." stated Yuna happily.

The woman sighed in relief, "Thank you. We were so frightened when the tour group was attacked by fiends. There was so much panic."

You don't have to worry now," comforted Paine, "we'll get you guys out safe and sound."

Gratefully, the mother and children thanked Yuna and Paine. Meanwhile, one of the children said they saw a man disappear when he stepped onto the teleporter.

"We'll have to go find that guy." sighed Paine.

"I'll take care of it. Please take them back for me." said Yuna abruptly.

Paine gave her a concerned look, "Hey...are you sure you can handle this Yuna?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll be alright. We can't waste time because he might be hurt."

Paine agreed, and left with the group of stragglers. Yuna swallowed some nervousness, and stepped onto the left section of the teleporter. She as instantly transported to a small room, void of anything except some juicy bugs. Shrugging to herself, she stepped back onto the platform, and returned to the former space. This time she stepped on the teleporter's right section. Now she materialized in another, slightly larger area. She glanced around for a moment, and spied a man laying on the ground. She ran over to see if he was alright. From him, she heard what she thought was a snore. Curiously, she shook him hard.

"W-what? Who...oh man, did I doze off mom?" he blurted, startled by Yuna.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt sir?" she asked.

He looked at her confusion, scratching himself on the butt. It was at this moment that he realized he wasn't at his mother's house, and it wasn't polite to dig himself in front of a lady. Jolting up, he flashed her a salute. Yuna raised her eyebrow at his odd behavior, but felt it best not to ask questions about his peculiarities. They both stepped back on the platform, returning to the large area with the teleporter.

As Yuna was about to return the man to the entrance of the cave, she paused. For a moment, she glanced back to where the Chamber of the Fayth was. A knot began to form in her stomach. Although it was against her better judgment, not to mention her very instinct, she decided to search the Chamber. Just in case someone else transported there, she would have to go to find out.

Swallowing hard, she told the man he would have to find his own way back through the cave. He was hesitant, but she persuaded him. While she felt bad for putting him in a dangerous position, something inside of Yuna told her she needed to go to the Chamber. Approaching the teleporter, she closed her eyes. Breathing in, she sighed long and hard. The tightness still persisted in her gut. Yet, she was still determined to go. She stepped onto the front of the teleporter, and was taken to the Cavern. It was dark, but had a large hole to the back – pyreflies flew around it.

With that as her only real light source, she stumbled around, searching for anybody stranded. What she heard, rather, was what seemed like a low-pitched growl. She looked around, but didn't see anything. The growling grew closer. Before she knew it, she saw the dog of one of her former aeon's stalking near her. She stepped back, now eying its rumbling mouth and sharp teeth.

"It's been a long time, Lady Yuna. What is it you seek?"

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_**Next chapter:** Yuna's former aeon, Yojimbo, is bitter for her abandonment of them during her battle with Sin. Will he stay embittered, or will he understand Yuna's predicament. Alone, Yuna may have to battle another aeon, who also as many insights into Kinoc's scheme._


	28. Chapter 28 – Seek the Painful Truth

**Chapter 28 – Seek the Painful Truth**

**6/15/05: **The usual proofreading stuff...

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Yuna stood in awe, frightened stiff by the voice. A dim light now began to shine upon the voice's owner. It was truly her old aeon, Yojimbo. Again the growling of his dog scared her. She backed up, and bumped into a wall. Knowing she was cornered, she attempted to speak, but only the chattering of her teeth came from her mouth. A deathly cold chill ran down her spine, freezing her legs solid. Her breath ran heavy – her hands began to tremble. Daigoro approached her with tenacity. Methodically he stalked her, his eyes now within sight. She tripped while sidestepping, and tumbled to the ground. Fearing his attack, Yuna raised her arm and closed her eyes.

Instead of a flow of blood, she was covered with a river of slobber. Licking her profusely, the dog shot her with loving puppy-dog eyes. She reached out her hand in some sort of automatic function, and rubbed his ear. Daigoro submitted easily to Yuna, and now slumped in her lap, panting his slobber all over her.

Yojimbo walked up to Yuna, who gazed up at the tall figure. He shook his head, emitting a slight sigh. His figure was still as prominent and majestic as when she first laid eyes on him. Using his gigantic sword as a cane, she positioned himself next to Yuna, staring down at her.

"It seems even the most ferocious of beasts can be tamed by gentle goodness." he spoke, almost joking in tone.

"Y-you...you aren't under Kinoc's control?" stuttered Yuna, surprised by Yojimbo's volition.

He smirked, "The man Kinoc certainly attempted to gain his will over mine."

"But you're not," she questioned, still not in total belief that he wasn't under Kinoc's control, "how is that possible?"

"Because the priest had no honor."

"No honor?"

He nodded, "Yes, he was a cold man, bound by nothing but greed and vengeance."

"Did you fight him? I-is he dead?"

"Unfortunately I had not the chance to kill him. When he discovered that I was beyond his grasp, he fled. Such a pitiful man he was."

Yuna smiled, "I'm glad."

Yojimbo shifted himself, now fully pointing in Yuna's direction. His long, black shadow covered Yuna. It blended her eerily with the shadows in the Chamber. His figure became stiff and barren. Without warning, he slammed his sword into the ground, startling Yuna.

"Honor is something that no longer has value in this world anymore. Such is a lesson you conveyed to me!" he roared, causing Daigoro to dart off Yuna's lap in fear.

Yuna, also afraid of his sudden outburst, shuffled backwards, "I-I don't understand...why am I dishonorable? What have I done?"

"You sacrificed your aeons in the battle with Sin. We stood to serve with you, not be wasted in holocaust." he accused with anger.

"No, that's not true!" she shook her head frantically, "I didn't want to do that...I had to. You must understand, it was beyond my control. Yu Yevon took control of the aeons! He took control, and we had to stop them. Please...understand!"

Expecting an immediate, and horribly strong reaction from Yojimbo, Yuna braced herself, and clamped her eyes shut. Instead, he paused, now gazing meekly into the mist around him. He walked a few steps to his side, tapping his mighty sword on the ground with gentleness. It was to Yuna, as if he hadn't an answer for her.

Then, he finally spoke, "I...do understand. A truly honorable warrior sacrifices anything in order to fulfill one's duty. Your duty was to save Spira, and save you did. Please forgive my frustration."

She nodded, finally opening her eyes to see Yojimbo, a thin fog swirling around him. Again, he tapped his sword on the ground repeatedly, thinking deeply to himself. Yuna arose to her feet, and moved towards him. She was puzzled by his sudden changes in aggression. Usually calm and concise, he now seemed flustered and unsteady.

"There are many things I must tell you," he said bluntly all of the sudden, "things that again pertain to Spira's safely."

"I don't understand. What things?"

"About the plan of that old priest. How he plans to conqueror Spira."

A cold sweat ran down Yuna's brow from these words. Finally, someone knew of Kinoc's scheme. However, she also had a feeling of condemnation for his comment, as she wanted not to listen to more troubles. She looked down, staring grimly at her feet. For a moment, her mind went blank.

Finally, she raised her head, "Please, tell me...I must know."

Yojimbo nodded, planting his sword firmly into the ground, "As you know, he had tried to gain control of all of your former aeon's. He has tried to control the Fayth - stir them from their eternal slumber..."

_One by one, as far as I know, the Fayth were taken under his control. I believe I was the only one who did not submit. Such a dastardly man will never take my being. However, even without me, he has formed a mighty and powerful militia. He wants to enslave the populous of Spira, and condemn them to the same fate as he was – eternal life after death. Somehow, he has in his unsent afterlife, acquired the ability to control the fayth of people. Although I believe those sent to the Farplane are immune from his magic, those who were not can be subjected to his will. _

_This is why you are a primary target of his. Not only to you posses the necessary mind and being to halt his advance, you could also be a valuable asset. That is why you cannot allow yourself to die and fall under his control. _

_With his aeons, he plans to launch an attack on Spira. I believe he will demolish Bevelle first, then head south. What I do not know, is when. A man as insane as Kinoc is unpredictable. There is no telling when his timetable will cycle for battle. You must defeat him now, or Spira will once again be caught in peril._

In response to Yojimbo's horrid information, Yuna moaned, leaning her head against the stony wall of the Cavern. She rubbed her eyes, which were shallow and distant. Swallowing hard, she refaced Yojimbo and approached him.

"Do you know of a man named Shuyin?" she asked out of the blue.

"Eh...Shuyin you say. No I do not."

"You don't? But he was supposed to be working with Kinoc." she claimed haplessly.

Yojimbo knelt down to pet his dog, "His name is not familiar. There was no other man around when Kinoc attempted his mind control. Perhaps...perhaps he was the man who freed Kinoc from the dark cloister in Bevelle."

Yuna sighed once again, brushing her hair back from her face, "I...I'm so sick of saving Spira, and so tired of battling. Why can't the peace ever last for me..."

"Battling? With Sin destroyed, how much battling have you needed to do?" he asked in confusion.

Yuna smiled a heartless smile, "Too much. We've already fought Kinoc a number of times."

"So you have. Then I assume you've already fought some of your aeons."

"Yeah, three of them. And Kinoc's already nearly killed me. He did kill an old priest in cold blood...not to mention hurting Rikku and Paine."

"Then the days are growing darker, little by little. If he has been attacking you so frequently, then he will soon enact his scheme to decimate Spira." he replied bleakly.

Solemnly, Yuna sat down on the ground. She curled herself up into a ball. Yojimbo looked at her, wondering if she was crying. It seemed as if more than battling had worn her spirit. He walked up to her, kneeling down in some sort of effort to comfort her.

"It seems more than just the wounds of war are troubling you. Stand tall, little warrior – you cannot break now."

With a sudden flare, Yuna's eyes boiled with anger, "Break? Break! I am already broken. My whole life is broken! All I do is go around searching...searching perpetually for Tidus. And what do I find? Nothing but hopelessness, despair, and trouble!"

Now he understood. Beneath her cloak of cheerful glee, was a worn and pained soul. She was rotting inside from the years of unending misery. Expecting her to cry, instead he found her just sitting there, murmuring to herself. He raised himself off his knee.

"For one to be hurt beyond tears is the truest of tragedies. Please, little summoner, rise to your feet." he asked kindly.

She did, but didn't bare to look at him. Instead, she stood there, wavering in the air. He reached into his cloak, and pulled out a tiny sphere attached to a chain.

"Please accept this, as one warrior's gift to another." he enunciated, extending it out to Yuna.

She lifted her head, and looked perplexedly at what seemed to be some sort of necklace, "W-what is this?"

"When you have finally battled a foe too great, or find yourself in your darkest hour, clench this to your heart. Call my name, and I will come to fight for you."

Her eyes burst with surprise, "I-is that possible? I can't summon anymore..."

"It is, and I will come. Take my humble promise, dear savior of Spira. For now, I must rest, as engaging with Kinoc has made me weak." he explained, and stepped back into the mist, disappearing without a sound.

Yuna, nevertheless, didn't move. Still awestruck by what Yojimbo told her, she remained in a state of disillusion. She slumped down on the ground, blankly staring into space. Her battles with Kinoc, pictures of her aeons, fighting with her friends, memories of Tidus - they all flowed chaotically through her mind. She was utterly confused; she knew not what to do. One side of her said to endure for the benefit of Spira. The other side told her to end her own suffering. There would be no salvation for her. Unsure of how long she was in the Cavern, she got up and teleported out of it.

Her mind faded in and out. However, she was abruptly snapped out of her trance by the shouting of Paine, who was running up to her. She looked up, and noticed her worrying face. It must have been some time since the two had separated.

"Yuna! Yuna! There you are! Where the hell have you been?" she questioned, giving Yuna a half-worried, half-angry look.

"In the Chamber. One of my aeons was there." she replied quietly.

Paine now changed to an appearance of confusion, "Huh? An aeon...you're not hurt are you?"

She shook her head, "No. He wasn't under Kinoc's influence."

"That's thankful. Then what happened between you two?"

"I'll explain on the ship. Everyone needs to hear what he said to me."

Although not sure what Yuna was thinking, Paine agreed, and escorted Yuna out of the cave. She was greeted by many happy souls. They appreciated the good samaritanship of the Gullwings. Even though Yuna was glad they could help, it wasn't near what she needed to quell her inner hardships. Dusk was rapidly approaching, and the Gullwings were hungry. They all gathered in the cabin, where Barkeep and Darling were whipping up some of their Hypello specials. Yuna felt it a good time to discuss what her aeon told her.

"It was certainly a surprise," she replied to Buddy, who asked her what Yojimbo was doing in the Cavern, "but for some reason, I was compelled to go into the Chamber of the Fayth.

"You always seem to get yourself into trouble, Yunie." teased Rikku.

An awkward silence proceeded Rikku joke, as Yuna didn't smile. In fact, she seemed more in sorrowful agreement to her statement than anyone would like to see her be. Brother decided to break the silence.

"Well...at least he didn't try to pick a fight like your other aeons, yes." he blurted, to Yuna's displeasure.

Buddy followed with a question to distract her from the thought of her other aeons, "So tell us, what did he tell you?"

Yuna told them about the attempt of Kinoc to control Yojimbo. She explained what Yojimbo told her about Kinoc's plan, as well as his ability to control unsent fayth. This sent a consensual shiver down everyone's spine. When Paine asked about Shuyin, she wasn't sure how to answer.

"I'm not really sure of their connection," she finally answered, "while Kinoc claimed they were partners, nobody was present but Kinoc when Yojimbo fought him."

"That's really weird," Rikku said between chewing, "although...we've never seen them together."

"That's true, we haven't." agreed Paine.

"Actually guys, Yojimbo did say that Shuyin could have been the one to release Kinoc from some dark cloister."

"Dark cloister? What do you mean?" questioned Buddy.

Yuna shrugged, "I really don't know. He said it was underneath Bevelle or something."

Shinra perked up at this, and began tapping his finger on the table, "That kind of sounds familiar to me. I think I read something about that somewhere."

Brother, waiting for a further explanation, became typically impatient, "Well Shinra, what do you know. Spill them beans!"

"I don't know off hand! But I can look it up, geesh! I'm just a kid, not a library." he complained, annoying Brother.

"I bet it has something important to do with Kinoc though." chimed in Rikku.

Paine nodded, "You might be right. How 'bout it Yuna...think it's worth checking out?"

"I don't know," grunted Yuna, letting out a long, heavy sigh, "I'm just so...confused right that I...I don't know..."

Her cousin became distraught, "Hey Yunie, are you alright? Maybe you should lay down."

Yuna looked at Rikku, bluntly replying, "That's not going to help me."

"Oh..." spoke Rikku quietly, sulking down into her chair.

At her own words, Yuna got up in a disgusted state and left the cabin. She ran to the lift and went to the deck, where she hoped to escape to tranquility. For once, she succeeded, as it was peaceful outside. It was now dark, and the stars shone brightly in the night sky. There wasn't but a handful of wispy gray clouds hovering above, allowing the moon to bathe Yuna in its radiant light. She half-heartedly chuckled to herself when she realized that she was lying down now. Closing her eyes, she pictured her love walking in these same plains. She recalled how he comforted her when she first nervously entered the Cavern. Like a drug, it was a sweet satisfaction that never lasted. Memories were but memories – thoughts of a past far faded.

A cool, gentle breeze ran by her face. She again opened her eyes to watch a small swatch of clouds pass in front of the moon, shading its light from the world below. Its overcast gave Yuna a much desired feeling of hiding. Many times had she dreamed about making love to Tidus beneath the mellow night sky. Much had she yearned to leave the cold room in which she felt imprisoned in. Just as the clouds masked the golden light of the moon, she felt as if the perils in Spira were cloaking the happiness she was entitled to. Her memories of Tidus and of the good times felt like a dawn which never came for her. Two years ago, she embarked on a long, dangerous endeavor to save Spira. In the present, Spira seemed to be instilled in the same kind of jeopardy that it was when against Sin.

She laughed to herself, wondering how funny it was that things never change, they merely take on a different form. While she was supposed to be the great bringer of the Eternal Calm, she now realized that such a concept did not exist. Her mind faded with her despair into a dark and uncomfortable sleep...

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_**Next chapter:** Yuna continues her spiral of depression after knowing what was occurring behind the shadows. Shinra, after much research, uncovers some of the mystery behind the dark cloister in the far depths of Bevelle. They also gain a hitchhiker in Tolbi, who needs to bum a ride back to the Moonflow._


	29. Chapter 29 – Unveiled

**Chapter 29 – Unveiled**

_**8/29/05** – Going back to do some proofreading._

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The pattering of a little presence sounded down the corridor to the lift. It muttered to itself in some kind of fit. Panic bumbled in its eyes as it entered. Poking a button, it went upwards, still frantically stirring about. In short succession, it made its way to the bridge. The door swooshed open, giving it a clear view of everything. Buddy and Brother were at their consoles, while Shinra was busy hammering away on his keyboard. Paine was watching him from behind, occasionally scratching her head in bewilderment. Yuna and Rikku were elsewhere.

Sneakily, the presence walked down the stairs, and approached Paine. Coming closer and closer, its miniature size masked its movement. Finally, it came within arm's reach of Paine's leg. Reaching out, it grabbed her arm. In alarm, Paine shrieked while jumping back. Ready to pounce, she noticed the tiny entity scrambling around in fright. But this was no fiend – it was Tolbi!

"What are you doing, Tolbi," she raged, "scaring me like that!"

He picked himself from the ground, "Heh, I apologize for my sudden appearance. There's something I need to ask you."

Paine just stood there, half-holding her breath at his remark, listening to him clamor. Tolbi was stranded in the Calm Lands, and needed to return to the Moonflow. Because of his bad venture in partnering up with the company that ran the Cavern of the Lost Fayth attraction, he had to refund an undisclosed amount of money – which meant all of it. Therefore, he was dead broke and couldn't afford a ride back to the Moonflow. Paine shook her head.

"Please, please...take me there," he pleaded, on his knees begging at Paine's feet, "h-how will my Hypello manage without me?"

Somehow, Paine believed they could manage, but instead looked over to Brother and Buddy. They were both rolling their eyes at the sad sight of Tolbi. Brother turned to Buddy and shrugged, with a shrug in return from Buddy. Brother then looked back at Paine and gave an uncomfortable nod. Paine sighed, and smiled down at Tolbi.

"Alright, alright, we'll give you a ride to the Moonflow. Just stop grabbing onto me!"

Meanwhile, Rikku was watching her cousin stare out the window. She wasn't her usual cheerful self, as seeing Yuna standing sadly drained the life out of her. Being so close for so long, they shared a connection. What one felt, the other gathered a piece of. The most diminishing thing for Rikku, was the fact that Yuna was shutting everyone out. Although she was never forthcoming with her thoughts and emotions throughout her life, she was like this now for a different reason. No longer was it due to her personality, or some teaching of Yevon – now it was sheer depression. Each and every time she would be next to her cousin, she felt a cold shadow cast upon her. Most difficult, was the feeling of helplessness she knew, for she was unable to aid Yuna.

Just as Yuna was destined to die by the hand of the Final Summoning over two years ago, she now faced another dark obstacle. And just as two years ago, she couldn't help her cousin. If it wasn't for a diversion of fate, she believed, Yuna would have surely perished. Nevertheless, what remained was an empty-shell of what her potential could have – and should have been. Rikku wasn't alone in this sentiment. The rest of the crew felt the same awry feeling as well. Many times they had brainstormed for a way to pick up Yuna's feelings.

In the beginning, they thought it would pass. With the horrifying experiences at the Besaid and Kilika temples, they believed it was the trauma that tormented her. Then the incident at Mount Gagazet occurred. With her accidental killing of Garik, they decided to attempt a more proactive approach. Instead, relations between everybody and Yuna soured. In the past few day, the crew simmered in a dire state of numbness. Paine was burning out from trying to help her. Rikku began to squander in her worry. Buddy and Brother also tried, but found themselves incapable too of bouncing Yuna out of her state of misery.

Now, as Yuna watched the raindrops tumble down the Celsius' windows, Rikku sighed quietly to herself. Even if she was depressed herself, her unending love for her cousin persuaded her to try again. She walked up behind Yuna, pausing for a moment to collect her thoughts. Yuna, noticing Rikku's reflection in the window, turned around to face her.

"Hey..." she whispered, flashing what was an obviously fake smile.

Rikku nodded, and replied with a half-hearted smile of her own. This further compounded the agony in her mind, as knowing the suffering around her was of her own cause pressured her heart. She looked down, sweeping her foot gently across the floor, waiting for the nervous silence to end.

Rikku, feeling likewise, broke forth, "Uh...Yuna please...tell me what's so wrong."

Yuna immediately turned back around to the gray window, the rain-soaked sky still pummeling the ship with an unrelenting shower. Such was the repugnance the ran boundlessly within her heart. She inhaled deeply, and let out a long, unsettling sigh.

"No. There's no point in telling you how troubled I am. Heh, you already know. Besides...there's nothing you can do...I..."

"Don't say that Yunie! Just let it out...it, it doesn't matter what it is. Don't think about me – think about yourself! I don't care if I can help you or not...I just want to see you happy again.

Barely getting out her words before an unyielding stream of tears, Rikku dismantled into a balling fit. Yuna curled her up into her chest, gently stroking her head. What good are words, she thought, if all they can do is cause pain.

Yet, a voice inside her said to speak, "I...just want some peace in my life...that's all."

"I-is it because of me dragging you out for sphere hunting?" asked Rikku, peaking her teary head up from Yuna's bosom.

She shook her head, "No...this hasn't anything to do with you or any of the Gullwings. I guess...I guess it's with my own self. All this time I've been searching for Tidus, and wrestling with my own self-doubt."

"I know that. We all have with the Calm. But I remember you used to be fine. And now, you..."

Yuna didn't need her to finish her sentence, as she realized all too well what it would be. Those words resonated with a great shuttering. Biting her lip, her mind degenerated into a crumbling mess. Doing the only thing she knew, she held tightly onto Rikku, grazing her head against her cousin. Such an enraptured provided a temporary comfort. And even though they both knew it wouldn't last, they didn't care. Any comfort would do, if only just for a small time.

During all this, Shinra worked unaffected at his console, ripping through page after page of information. Flashing by his eyes was a millennium's worth of information – decades worth passing with every blink of his eye. Determined to understand the plot that was unfolding behind the scenes, he was resolved to destroy the iron curtain shrouding the mystery of Kinoc and Shuyin. His best weapon against them was information and knowledge. Therefore, he had spent the last three days fixated at his screen, digging through thousands upon thousands of documents and records dating back to near the original inception of Sin, and Spira's long-forgotten past.

And his work was not without reward. Putting the finishing touches on what he believed to be a serious set of findings, he swiveled around his chair. He wiped the sweat off his brow, or rather his goggles, and waved his hand in the air.

"I think I've got it!" he declared with pride.

"Eh? Got what?" asked a very startled and confused Rikku.

"Some insight into Kinoc's scheme." he answered with esteem.

"Y-you do?" bobbled Yuna, surprised at his statement, "what kind of insight?"

"Gather around and let me show you..."

Shinra pulled up onto the screen an article pertaining to New Yevon. On it was a picture of an old man. Nobody recognized him, to Shinra's disappointment. He then pointed to the caption, which read, "Former leader of the sphere collecting group _The Seekers_, Trema is now leader of fledgling New Yevon sect."

"I remember now," nodded Paine at the image, "yeah, he was the one who searched Spira for old spheres of the past."

"Huh? So he's like the original sphere hunter or somethin'?" asked Rikku with a raised eyebrow.

"Something along those lines," began explaining Shinra, "you see, when he created the Seekers, he scoured Spira for its history. After collecting many of them, he created New Yevon."

"Then what happened to those spheres?"

Shinra shrugged, "No one really knows. That's probably the biggest reason the Youth League is at odds with New Yevon. They want Spira's history released to the public, and New Yevon is refusing."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." clamored Brother impatiently, "but what does this all have to do with Shuyin and Kinoc?"

"I was getting there..." grumbled Shinra.

He now brought up some very old scanned documents. Even with his enhancements, they were far from readable. However, with some magnification, he cleared up the words. And these words were nothing short of terrifying. As the Gullwings skimmed the ancient texts, there guts curdled with nausea. Yevon long ago had experimented with controlling people's fayth. Deep within the confines of Bevelle, the Maesters had long been contriving ways to what amounted to hijacking an unsent fayth, and animating it to their control.

"These are some old allegations I found, back when Yevon was still under heavy protest. These may be just allegations, but I would bet there's at least some truth to them. Furthermore, more documents add to this. Other say Yevon planned to gather an army of unsent to attack the Al Bhed."

Rikku growled at this remark. The rest of the crew shared in her outrage. Whatever the truth may be behind such documents, it didn't matter. Every single one of them believed Yevon would plot such dastardly acts.

"So, what's Kinoc got to do with this?" once again asked Rikku.

"Well, I can only speculate. As we all know, there's lots of fun stuff underneath Bevelle. Besides machina, it has also been rumored that various prisoners and unsent Maesters are kept there. Seymour was one particular in imprisoning people in the catacombs of Bevelle..." he began.

_I figure, Seymour must have stuck Kinoc down there somewhere. Also down there is believed to be the old spheres Trema captured. He mysteriously disappeared after he finished collecting them. It isn't certain what happened to him or the spheres. It's possible Kinoc got a hold of them. Perhaps he found the way to control fayth, and studied how to manipulate them._

_Still, how he freed himself from the underground of Bevelle is a mystery unto itself. My guess has been, just as Yuna's aeon suggested, he was unleashed by Shuyin for some reason. Maybe he needed Kinoc for some purpose, like gaining access to Vegnagun. Since you've never seen either of them together, I bet they ditched each other once they both got what they wanted. Even though I can't be sure, there's one thing for certain – this is bad news for Spira._

The Gullwings nodded at each other. There would be no more time to fool around; Kinoc was bound to strike at any time. Worse yet, they came to realize, was that they had no clue as to where or when. Buddy suggested after they were done giving Tolbi a ride, they would go full-time on investigating Kinoc.

"I agree...but where do we start?" questioned a worried Paine, her arms folded as she spoke.

Rikku threw her arms behind her head, "Yeah really, I mean, with so many nooks in Spira, he could be plotting anywhere."

Buddy rubbed his chin, "Well, I'd say he would be somewhere secluded...perhaps Zanarkand. With no more tourists around, he could amass some troops without being found out."

"I don't know. He seems like a sneaky one. Maybe he is hiding under Bevelle again, since that's where he could find many unsent fayth?" interjected Brother with surprising insight.

Shinra nodded, and concluded that either of these places could be potential spots for Kinoc to begin his conquest. He also went on to suggest the ancient Baaj Temple ruins, where Seymour first claimed his aeon, Anima. With all these possible locations, the Gullwings found they were no closer in determining where to start than before. Rather than arguing about it for hours, they instead set course for the Moonflow. The quicker they dumped the shyster Tolbi, in Brother's words, the sooner they could pursue Kinoc. Impressed with Brother's abnormal intellect, they agreed. Hopping into his seat, Brother started up the Celsius.

When the rain eased, Brother lifted the Celsius from the drenched fields of the Calm Lands. It's soaked rocky walls faded into the distance. More rain followed them, crashing down hard against the hull of the ship. It was bleak, and visibility was poor. This forced Brother to concentrate harder than ever before in his life, as navigation was slow and cumbersome in the pouring rain. Small chunks of hail began to hammer against the windows, causing Buddy to become jittery after every bounce.

No one had noticed Yuna's silence. Although she was not one of many words, she certainly was not one of complete taciturnity either. During the discussion, she stood quiet, her arms behind her back. Even though the issues were gravely important, she felt no sense of urgency. The only thing flashing in her mind was images of the past. At first, it was the little Fayth she met in the Farplane, whom would grant her ultimate wish. She decided she must sneak out to seek him again. This time she would ask what she so frequently desired – her reunion with Tidus. Then with the mentioning of Kinoc, she winced at the sight of the decapitated priest, his head rolling in a bloody pool beneath his feet. She wanted peace, not violence. It took all her might not to shout at the top of her lungs that she wasn't going to fight Kinoc again. Instead, she stood without sound, and with a sense of demoralized obedience she had not been consumed with since her beginnings as a priestess of Yevon.

The departure to the Moonflow was a tranquil one, if not melancholy. Much weighed on the minds of the Gullwings. It seemed the pending days would be as damp and unfortunate as the rainy haze they flew through. Due to such inclement weather, they arrived at the Moonflow during the twilight of the morning. Still, much of the crew, except for the mentally-exhausted Shinra, were still in some state of consciousness. Tolbi was actually asleep as well – in Yuna's bed. A little angry at his take over, she felt like tossing him out of her bed. And although that would play much to Paine and Rikku's amusement, she decided not to. Instead she said she would sleep on the deck. There were no storms in the Moonflow. Instead, it was a crystal clear night, with a full moon shining its silky light down upon the Celsius. The air as always smelled fresh here. Barely a breeze had shaken the night air, as it stood with as much stagnant silence as the surroundings in which it flowed.

Yuna wasn't sure what to make of such sudden placidity. It was welcome, but not expected. She gazed around, watching the dance of the pyreflies above the river. Their tiny reflections banding together in a spectrum of colors. With total freedom, they swayed and swiveled in tandem to no beat, no command.

A shot of cold wind enraptured her, causing her to shiver. Looking up, she found the moon's light fading from a passing cloud. Perhaps it was her imagination, but the stars seemed to shine with a dim resignation. There was no other obstructions hanging in the sky. Yet, Yuna squinted to see their cast of light. She inhaled deeply, and shook with an unsettled sadness as she released her breath. Much like the stars in the sky, she felt the same dimming of light – her own light. As the cloud past beyond the moon, freeing its light to shine once more, Yuna laid down on the deck. With her blanket, she curled up, and covered herself up.

The pending demise left her with a weak sense of regret. What the regret was, she wasn't sure. Perhaps it was not protecting her friends better in the past, or maybe it was for not holding onto Tidus when he was still alive. Regardless, the hopeless air of the night frightened her. Tightly she wrapped her blanket against her body. Her eyes teared – crying for the hope of one last comforting dream...

_"Now now dear...don't go too far out into the water," said the gentle voice of a woman._

_Yuna's eyes began to tear up at the sound of this voice. Her picture turned around to show the image of a gorgeous Al Bhed woman, her feet traipsing through the beach's golden sand._

_"Don't worry honey, the water is always calm around here." replied a man's voice behind the sphere camera._

_Now Yuna was genuinely crying inside, as she knew her father's voice better than any. She watched as his face grew closer to her mother. She turned around, flashing an elegant smile at the lucky man behind a camera._

_"It's such a lovely day. I'm glad we decided to do this, especially since..." she said cheerfully, walking up close to the camera._

_"Ah, ah – not one mention of that. Today, all that matters is me spending time with my beautiful wife and little girl." Braska stated._

_"Daddy, daddy," rang the voice of a little Yuna, racing towards her parents, "lookie what I found...it's a seashell."_

_Yuna looked upward to see herself, so small, being cherished by her parents. Her mother embraced her, lifting her in the air so she could see her father better._

_"That isn't a seashell Yuna, it's an old machina part." he chuckled heartily._

_"And there ain't a toot wrong with it!" yelled another familiar voice from afar._

_"It's Uncle Cid!" the young Yuna exclaimed, pointing to the Al Bhed man coming nearer to them. _

_The older Yuna had to laugh, as Cid was still as bald as ever, with the same stern expression written all over his face. A hand outstretched from the camera view, gesturing for Cid to come to Braska._

_"Cid, take the camera...I want a shot with my wife and Yuna for the road."_

_"Gotcha Braska." agreed Cid happily._

_He handed the camera sphere off to Cid, who bumbled around with it for a moment. Finally, Yuna's whole family came into view. There she was, in her mother's and father's arms, smiling so joyously._

_"See the camera Yuna...I'm going to take this sphere with me on my journey, so I can always see your beauteous smile." he said, pointing to the camera._

_"But daddy...I don't want you to leave." the young Yuna cried, here eyes beginning to tear up as much as the older Yuna's._

_Her father paused, soothing her with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry Yuna. I'll always be with you..."_

* * *

_**Next chapter: **Yuna goes to meet once again with the Fayth in the Moonflow. This time, she goes with whatever courage and determination she has left to regain her love. But can he truly fulfill her request, or is Yuna destined to be tragically separated from her love for all eternity?_


	30. Chapter 30 – As Heavy as Stone

**Chapter 30 – As Heavy as Stone**

_**8/29/05** – Going back to do some proofreading._

* * *

Rolling over, Yuna unconsciously covered up her head at the sound of dim taping. Them she groaned a little bit, and rolled over again. This time, it was chirping that was disturbing her. Whether she wanted to or not, Yuna awakened at the sound of a pair of little birds fluttering next to her. They pecked occasionally at the Celsius' metal top, causing Yuna to wince in her sleep. But daylight finally faded in as she outstretched her arms, sprawling herself out on the deck. With a gigantic yawn, she woefully welcomed herself into another day.

The day, however, wasn't very welcoming. It was chilly outside. Yuna wrapped herself up tightly in her blanket when her senses noticed such a frigid wind was blowing, much like the one the night before. Instead of a crystalline sky, it was gray – the sky shrouded in all places by a dismal cloak of thick clouds. A heavy fog hung low to the ground around the Celsius, masking what may lay just beyond the borders of the ship. Staring unhappily to such a mysterious and familiar setting, she rubbed her eyes. With another, less impressive yawn, she got up to enter the ship. But she stopped herself. Even though her surroundings were less than pleasant, she felt a sense of acceptance there. A comfort she, albeit confusedly, embraced.

Plopping herself back in the warm spot in which he slept, she gazed around. A few feet in front of her were the two birds which woke her up. They continued their pecking across the Celsius' deck. Yuna smiled sadly, as she wished she could enjoy such a simple joy. Instead, she wallowed in her separation. Such is life, she thought. But what about death?

A sudden whoosh sounded from behind her. Darting her head around, she saw Paine bringing a platter. The smell lifted Yuna up a little, as her nose instantly recognized the odor of a delicious meal from Barkeep. She fully turned herself around, and tried to greet her friend with some sort of pleasantness.

"Sleep well out here?" asked Paine, sitting the platter in front of Yuna.

She nodded and replied, "Yeah, it wasn't too bad aside from the chilliness."

"Yeah, it is a bit cold out here...lousy wind huh?"

Paine smiled at Yuna, who was busy feeding her face. She smiled more heartily this time, but was reluctant to giggle out loud. Still inset in Yuna's eyes was that unending presence of heartache. Just slightly had her eyes been in a glaze, which persisted since they fought Kinoc in Kilika. Since that time, Yuna had progressively been sliding deeper and deeper into an abyss of depression. Seemingly unable to save her from the quicksand she was drowning in, Paine tried all she knew to help Yuna regardless.

She knew from the start she was no good at consolation, nor was she adept in conveying a sense of loving affection. Yet through Yuna's predicament, she strengthened something more than her muscles. Instead, she empowered her heart. Still, she believed, what good was her triumph in the face of her friend's tragedy.

"Seems you're enjoying the grub. Barkeep can cook up a decent breakfast." she joked, raising a slight glimmer of amusement out of Yuna.

Then without hesitation, Yuna changed expressions, and became more glum. She sighed, looking down at the bowl of warm oatmeal. Then, she looked up at Paine, who was still staring down at her perplexedly. It was as if she finally wanted to speak; she wanted to let go of all the pain and suffering she was chained down by. By she remained silent, and went back to eating her food.

Paine, too, wanted to unleash a torrent of affection on Yuna. But, be it the desolation of the situation, or the bleakness of the morning, she refrained. Her heart sank, and she felt like she was powerless. She traipsed slowly back to the lift, saying nothing to Yuna. Yuna kept her head ducted, not wanting to see the burdened expression carried by Paine. She sat for a moment, merely peering blankly at her bowl. Without warning, she violently threw her platter away, smashing its contents all over part of the deck. She then curled up, rocking back and forth, murmuring incessantly to herself. And that was how she remained until the sun cleared up the fog, and the Moonflow became better exposed.

For whatever reason, she suddenly clicked out of her decrepit state, and stood up. Surveying now what surrounded her, she huffed to herself. Throwing her head back, she let out a loud scream, followed up another horrible scream. This is what Tidus taught her – but never would he have ever imagined that it would sound so tormented. Still, she found it to have some effect, as she now regained her composure. Only one thing remained in her mind at this point – Tidus. It was either her love, she decided, or her end.

Not bothering to find anyone, she left the Celsius. At first she went to locate the little Fayth, deep in the forest to the south. But her feet kept her next to the river. She looked down into its depths, examining the wavy appearance of the long-sunken machina city. She remembered riding the shoopufs over this river. Her very first ride, which was with Kimahri, always made her laugh. She dove head first into the water, causing the shoopuf she was riding to have a terrible scare. Then the second time she rode a shoopuf, it was with Tidus, and the rest of her guardians. She chuckled to herself when she remembered that she was almost kidnapped here - by Rikku's friends of all people. It was hard for her to imagine, but she realized that before then, she really didn't know Rikku. And now, now they were so close.

Her attention was darted to the sound of a shoopuf farther downstream sounding off, as another trip to the other side was about ready to commence. Hinting a smile, she put her arms behind her back. The sun was now growing higher in the sky. But the Moonflow was cool, and the strong breeze from the early morning had settled. It was calm, save for just a few pyreflies hovering low across the banks of the river. It was a scene such as this that made Yuna, given all her suffering, a reason to be glad – glad she sacrificed so much to save Spira.

Nodding to herself, she left for the area of the forest where she first found the little Fayth. Glancing around, she searched for the break where the path to his cottage was. Finally spotting it, she brushed back some thick shrubs, and started down the path. It was hard to determine where to go, as so much overgrowth was hiding the path below. She still managed to rediscover the Fayth's cottage. Like the day, it was broken down and lifeless, just as it was when Yuna first came. Standing outside the door, she took one deep inhale. There would be no hesitation this time. She would ask for Tidus back – it was the one and only desire which mattered.

She knocked hard on the door, and waited for a response. After a few second pause, the little Fayth answered. Although a little startled, he was glad to see Yuna's presence once more.

"Come in, dear summoner," he greeted cheerfully, "I see you have come again."

She nodded, walking into the cottage, "Yes I have...and I'm here to ask my wish."

He smiled now with even greater glee, "Yes, yes...well then, please...have a seat.

She complied, and sat in his musty armchair. It emitted a pulsing squeak as she became seated, convincing her that she had gained some weight. Crossing her legs, she bobbled her head gently for a few moments before speaking.

"Fayth, I...I want you to fulfill the wish I need to survive." she conveyed with rigidness.

Standing next to the strange glowing sphere, the Fayth turned to face her, "Of course. Tell me then, what is it your heart so greatly desires?"

Swallowing hard, she replied with all her thrust, "Tidus! I want Tidus back! Please Fayth...I want you to bring my love back into this world!"

Finally, she had exclaimed the words that had always been bottled up in her heart. With a bellow, she felt some relief already, as the pressure was stabbing in her mind for so long. The Fayth, though, didn't provide an immediate response, which created a hard knot in her stomach. The seconds felt like an eternity to her, as she watched with great intent the Fayth pacing around her.

Then he flicked himself around to face Yuna, "I'm sorry, but that just is not possible."

Yuna about fell out of the chair from these words. The words she never wanted to hear, the words she refused to believe. Leaping out of the chair, she darted at the Fayth, and grabbed him by his collar in a fit of rage.

"W-what are you saying? How can you not be able to bring him back? You're a Fayth!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her eyes bulging and red.

"P-please, Lady Yuna...it isn't possible for anyone to bring him back. I cannot bring back what doesn't exist."

At this, Yuna's heart all but faded from life. She dropped him down, thumping him on the floor. Her eyes glazed over, and she had the look of a zombie on her face. Then the tears came – more painful and numerous than any human being could hope to imagine. Her hollers echoed throughout the house. It felt as if a thousand knives stabbed into her soul. She couldn't, and wouldn't face the reality that Tidus was gone – forever. Finally she succumbed to the agony.

But the Fayth had another solution to offer her, "Dear summoner, if you truly are that sad, maybe you, too, should disappear."

Through her tears, she gazed up at the Fayth, "W-what do you mean..?"

"You don't want your friends to be drowned because of your sorrow, correct?" he asked, with an odd smile on his face.

Yuna nodded, "P-please...I...I c-can't be with them anymore. W-what can I do?"

"I can make a duplicate for you," he explained, "which will live with them for you. While you...you can determine your own fate."

She was in no condition to understand such a proposition. But without hesitation she agreed, and wanted him to do so immediately. He explained to her that he could manipulate the pyreflies to copy her body and soul. Perhaps it wouldn't be a perfect copy, but it would be as close as possible – close enough to be indistinguishable. She nodded, and watched as he swarmed together a cloud of pyreflies. Refracting off her teary eyes was the shimmering light that eventually became another Yuna. This carbon copy did appear to truly be her.

"This copy of you will remain dormant until you wish to animate it. It will become alive when you will it to." he said, still with an inappropriate smile spread across his face.

Yuna paid to this no attention, instead she marveled at herself. Carefully she touched her duplicate, grazing her hand across her cheek. She turned her head to the Fayth, astounded by his magic.

"How did you do this?" she questioned, although it didn't matter in her mind.

"With pyreflies tied to your life force. It's a simple trick really."

Yuna nodded, and took her silent copy with her back to the Celsius. The Fayth apologized once more for not being able to grant her true wish, but she forgave him. At least, she now had a way to prevent her friends from being destroyed by what was her now insurmountable sadness. When she boarded the ship, she found no one around to discover her new counterpart. To a small compartment she went. On the table it had she laid the body. She hesitated to do anything.

Leaving the compartment, she searched around, making sure nobody saw her go in. Once convinced, she headed for the cabin. She needed time to think, time to contemplate just what she was going to do. On her bed she went to sit, and try to come up with some solution that wouldn't hurt her friends. She was not alone for long, as footsteps interrupted her thoughts. Rikku climbed up the stairs, happily surprised to see her cousin sitting on her bed.

"Hi Yunie. What'cha doing?" she chirped, waving to Yuna.

Yuna was all but in a daze, so she didn't respond immediately. Once she realized Rikku was next to her, she darted around. Of all times to be seen by a friend, she felt, this was the worse. But there was nothing she could do as Rikku put her arms around her.

"C'mon Yunie...don't look so glum." she whispered in her ear.

"I wish I could...there's too much to be glum about to not to..." she replied back, closing her eyes for a moment.

Rikku sighed angrily. Already she had been upset by her cousin's perpetual depression, she wished she would have some other mood besides it. Then she went back to thought in the hopes of coming up with some kind of words that would at least make Yuna a little better.

"There must be something that will make you happy. Just tell me Yunie?" she asked when she could think of nothing.

Yuna flung her head to look directly at Rikku, "Of course there is. I want Tidus back! Dammit, it's that simple! But I can't have him!"

Rikku took a step back, and placed her hands on her hips. She would give anything to be able to bring Tidus back. She liked him a lot as well. Not in the same way Yuna did, but she would be glad to see the smile that he would grant Yuna. Nevertheless, there was no point in holding onto such hopeless hope.

"Yunie, you need to move on. Forget about him..."

Yuna's eyes ignited in rage. She stood up, turning around to slap Rikku against her cheek, knocking her back a couple of steps. Half awestruck, half infuriated, Rikku balanced herself, not knowing how to react. She covered the stinging mark on her face, and peered at Yuna, who was huffing substantially. Both connected with a stare of hatred.

"This is you problem Yuna! This is your problem! Why can't you let go...all you're doing is driving us mad! You're so stupid! I...I hate you!" she bellowed, then stomped away.

Yuna's face had horror all over it. She choked to gasp as she watched her fevered cousin run away in tears. She cried out, in hideous pain, claiming what she had done, how horrible she was. Stumbling down the stairs, she went back to the compartment which held her copy. For a while, she looked at herself, examining from head to toe everything she was. So similar she appeared. Yet, be it in her own mind or in reality, the body still had the same distraught face as Yuna herself did. She saw the reflection; she knew it was her own.

Closing her eyes, she breathed heavily. Finally, she made her decision. No more would she tried to conqueror or hide. It was hopeless, as destiny had shown itself. Whether or not she ran or fought, she would never be happy again. Taking out one of her pistols, she for the last time stared at her copy. Placing the gun to her head, she wept. Her hand began to shake as her finger slowly gripped the trigger. Finally, the dream would end.

Heard around the ship, a shot rang out. Alarmed by the sudden noise, the entire crew ran to where they heard it from. Paine entered the compartment first, only to see the most horrific sight of her life. There was the body of Yuna, laying lifeless, engulfed in a swarm of pyreflies. Brother and Rikku came next, only to see the same sight as Paine. For a moment, Rikku didn't believe what lay right in front of her. Then, with a hideous burst, she screamed, sprinting towards her cousin's body. But it was too late for goodbyes, as she was nothing more than fluttering pyreflies.

"No! No, Yuna! O-oh...what h-have I done? No..."

Brother came over to her. She instantly buried her face into his chest, balling in an uncontrollable fit. She lashed out at nothing in particular, and flared around so badly that it was all Brother could do just to hold onto her.

"Bring her back...I'm sorry! Please Yuna, come back!"

Yuna would never come back. Only the sound of Rikku's tears, and the sound of the pyreflies floating away, was heard in the ship. Paine, Buddy, and Brother all looked on as the final few pyreflies faded, fading away with what was their friend. The great summoner, the savior of Spira was dead. This was the end of Yuna – this was the end of the dream.

* * *

_**Next chapter: **While tragedy has ended Yuna's fragile life, it is not the end of the story. With barely any time to grieve, the Gullwings find themselves having to battle Kinoc one last time. Unleashing his unsent hordes on Bevelle, they go to take revenge for their fallen comrade._


	31. Chapter 31 – All That Is Left to Do

**Chapter 31 – All That Is Left to Do**

_**8/29/05** – Going back to do some proofreading._

* * *

To measure the depths of the pain the Gullwings felt that day could not be done with any device in Spira. With Yuna nothing more than a fluttering swarm of pyreflies, the team was broken at heart. No longer, it seemed, would there be any cheerful laughter. All that remained was a desolately hollow ship. Rikku was locked up in the cabin, hiding herself underneath her bed's blanket. Paine was equally devastated, and rendered nearly speechless from Yuna's death. Brother was now without his idol image, as was Buddy and Shinra. No one wanted to even suggest the idea, but a funeral arrangement needed to be made.

However, with tensions so high around Spira, how could it be made known that their beloved summoner was gone. No longer could her beautiful smile greet whomever she met; her tender heart could no longer grace Spira. But, it had to be discussed – just not yet.

If they shared one, if only one, desire in Spira, it was to kill Kinoc. It didn't matter how many more times they would have to do it, but it would be done. Be it slitting his throat, ripping out his intestines, or castrating him, the means mattered not. Vengeance was in order, for Yuna's sake. And vengeance they would be able to seek easily, as reported by Shelinda.

"A quarter of Bevelle is burning in flames as an unknown attacker has let loose war in the grand city." blared on all the sphere channels.

The Gullwings were all huddled around Shinra's screen, watching the carnage unfold. Numerous guards were laying dead in the streets, as peasants fled the city. Behind them was an army of fiends.

Shelinda continued her battle-scene reporting, "It's complete madness in Bevelle. Guards are continuing to get killed as these attacks pummel on. We've received unconfirmed reports that the origin of this attack may have come from the bowels of Bevelle itself."

With those few words consummated into their brains, the Gullwings all knew who was behind this attack – Kinoc. At the worst of times, Kinoc was unleashing his army of fiends and unsent onto Spira, starting in Bevelle. Just as Shinra and Yojimbo had feared, Spira was thrown back into the gauntlet of fear. Even more so, they knew it was up to them to defeat him. For one last time, they would have to be strong – for Yuna.

"If we're gonna be serious about this," rallied Buddy, mustering up all his resolve, "then we need a game plan. Kinoc isn't going to just let us barge in without a fight."

Rikku nodded, 'I don't care how we do it, but I want him dead. Dead so I can go to the Farplane and kill him again!"

"Just get us to Bevelle, Buddy, and we'll kill Kinoc. That's the only plan we need."

Buddy nodded, and without words, Brother hopped into the cockpit and sped for Bevelle. He rammed down the accelerator. It wouldn't take much time for Kinoc to spread his forces outside of Bevelle, making time of the most importance. A mixture of tears, sweat, and anger perspired between Paine and Rikku. They charged their fury for Kinoc; they wanted so to see him burn.

Keeping with the current situation, Shinra saw that the unsent were admirable fighters. Although this did not surprise him, as many locked in the dungeons of Bevelle were warriors of the past. Rikku and Paine readied for the long, agonizing battle that they knew lied ahead. Zooming over the trees of Macalania, they saw they were close to Bevelle. Landing just on the outskirts of the city, the girls rumbled out of the Celsius. Brother wanted to come too, but Rikku said no. While she wanted him to fight, she knew the enormous danger of tangling with Kinoc. Paine agreed. They would be just a duet this time.

"C'mon, I'm ready to kill this bastard!" fumed Paine, attaching her sword onto her back.

Rikku nodded without hesitation. Swimming in a blind rage, the girls rushed into the city. They came to a retreating line of temple guards. One of them, already partially injured, knelt down in front of them. He fired a volley of shots, killing a fiend. But this seemed in vain, as for every fiend fallen lead to two more charging forth. Rikku lobbed a grenade into the clutter of fiends, blowing several of them into slimy pieces, startling the guard.

"W-where did you come from?" he gasped, nearly toppling over.

"Don't worry about it. How bad is the situation?" asked Paine grimly.

He looked at the girls with a terrified look, "Devastating...I've lost so many men I can't begin to count. Fiends are destroying the city everywhere. How could this have happened..?"

"Kinoc, that's how." replied Rikku, to the guard's puzzlement.

Without another word, the girls dashed ahead, hacking and slashing their way through the remaining line of fiends. Not stopping to rest or even catch their breathes, Rikku and Paine had only one thing in mind, driving them to the brink of reckless fury. Turning the corner, they came to the long, gilded path which led to the grand temple in Bevelle. Each knew that this was where Kinoc was controlling his forces. The temple area, to their disbelief, was almost void of fiends.

Rikku looked around, scratching her head, "Where are the fiends? I don't get it?"

"Did he send them all out into the city? If he really left himself this unprotected, he is nuts."

The girls entered the courtyard, peering around for signs of trouble. However, there was nothing to be found. In the distance, they could hear the battle raging on. Yet here, there were no fiends. Still, the numerous bodies of dead soldiers did little to quell the nauseating feeling they had. They were truly surprised when they noticed the large doors to the temple itself were half-open. Paine got a chill from all the horror around them. It seemed that Kinoc was almost inviting them it. Regardless of what he may had plotted, there was only on way to go – in.

Climbing over a stack of bodies in front of the blood-stained doors, Rikku and Paine entered the temple. Inside, it was completely empty. There were no bodies nor fiends. Rikku walked up to the platform. It was still set to go downwards. With this confirmed, she and Paine walked onto it, and began their decent. Rikku stood, clenching her fist tightly. Paine, noticing this, attempted to care for her.

"Hey, hang in there," she spoke, firm but quietly, placing her hand on Rikku's shoulder, "we still need to do this, for Yuna."

Rikku looked up at her, nodding, "Yeah, I know. I...I feel like dying now too. It's my fault Yuna did this!"

"Rikku! This isn't your fault. There...there was just too much...too much weighing on her. Please, don't blame yourself."

Rikku shook her head violently, "No, no, you don't understand! Right before she did it, we had a big fight! I-I slapped her...oh, what have, what have I done..."

Paine embraced Rikku, tears pouring into her chest. She realized, with Yuna gone, it was up to her to take care of Rikku. Where else could she go for comfort, being that she was now without her cherished cousin. Paine was always a little jealous of their close connection. Because of Yuna's death, Paine feared for Rikku. She worried Rikku would succumb to the grief, and share a fate with Yuna. But the time for that was not now, as the platform shuttered to a halt.

Reaching the lower levels of Bevelle, the girls searched around for fiends. Again, they found none. Rikku and Paine were truly puzzled at this point, wondering where they were all hiding. Crossing through the old Cloister without incident, the girls reached the gigantic expanse of Bevelle's underground. The sight was still impressive for the both of them. Dim sounds of running machina echoed throughout the expanse. Using the same trick as they saw Gippal pull off, the girls slid down to the central structure. The light murmuring of machina turned into a blaring roar, as a huge metal machine stomped by them. Hiding themselves, they looked at the lumbering mechanical beast.

It appeared heavily armored, making a loud clanging noise with each of its steps. Its very sight incensed a feeling of grave warning. Mounted on each arm was a rather large and bulky machine gun. Paine realized her sword would be of no use against the thick armor plating it had. They would have to find another way beside blitzing it. Instead, Rikku focused on disabling it. Creeping over to a better vantage point, Rikku examined the machina. As she thought, a small control box was attached to the back of its body.

"Psst, hey Paine...do you see that?" she asked, pointing to the box of blinking lights.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"If I can hack that, then I can shut down the machina."

Paine nodded, "Alright, how are you going to get to it?"

"Well...I can jump on its back and disable it."

"Hey, I thought we weren't going to charge this thing?" grumbled Paine.

"Oh, that's right. Hmm...hey, if I can shoot some kind of electrical charge at it, I bet that'll knock it out."

"Ok, how do we do that?" questioned Paine, raising her eyebrow.

Rikku smiled big, "Over there."

She pointed to a enormous bundle of cables running down one of the security towers. If she could cut one of them, she explained, she could use the electricity running through it to shock the machina. Paine shrugged, thinking that plan seemed as good as any. Then again, how would they sneak up on the mechanical beast with a sparking cord. Rikku rubbed the back of her head, and told her friend that she better cover her.

For the time being, stealth was the most important issue. When the machina had its back turned, Rikku crawled over to the bundle of cords. Taking out one of her curved blades, she sliced it opened. A burst of sparks flooded from the cord. Rikku told it to shut up, but to no effect. Attracted by the sparking noise, the machina turned around, spotting Rikku.

"Aw, crap...Paine!" she bellowed as she dodged the machina's machine gun fire.

Paine rushed over to the machina, swinging fiercely with her sword. It made a beautiful clang on the armor of it, ringing out a lovely C chord. Paine looked up at the machina, which had its massive gun pointed at her head. Suddenly it began to glow electric blue. Paine leaped out of the way, as the smoldering giant crashed to the floor. Behind it, stood a smug Rikku grasping her sparking cord.

"Nice job Paine!" she exclaimed.

Paine glared at her, "Nice job? That thing almost blew off my head!"

The floor began to shake as the sound of screeching echoed around them. From each of the security towers emerged another lumbering machina, same as the one they just defeated. Rikku began to panic.

"Uh, Paine. I think we need some more cords."

Paine grabbed Rikku's arm, "I think we need to get outta here!"

Carrying Rikku along with her, the girls jumped down the circle of platforms. Gracelessly, they leaped through the steel double-doors, nearly getting shot to shreds by the machina. Paine was out of breath, while Rikku was wobbling around in a daze.

"Ok...that was a little close." huffed Paine, herself slumped over.

Rikku shook her head, snapping out of her dizziness, "I think we're getting closer to Kinoc."

Rikku didn't know how right she was. Through the dark corridors, they found numerous fiends lurking. From little lizard-like ones, to gigantic fire-breathing hulks, they discovered just how outnumbered they were beneath Bevelle. Finally, they came to the platform where they had uncovered the plot between Kinoc and Shuyin. All they found now was a dead end. No where in sight was Kinoc or anyone else.

"Damn, where could Kinoc be." rumbled Paine, prancing around madly.

"I don't get it...this is all I remember there being. Could we have missed something?" Rikku questioned, walking around scratching her head.

Paine shrugged, "Beats me. Unless this place gets any deeper."

"Hmm, ya know, I wonder..." thought Rikku, who began walking back into the corridor, "even though I was fading in and out, I remember there being a secret elevator in the wall."

"That's right! I remember a priest taking us up to you through one of those. Good thinking Rikku!"

The girls brushed their hands against the wall, searching for some sort of panel or handle. Reaching the end of the corridor, Paine felt something rough against a panel. Stepping back, she noticed it was just slightly off-color from all the others. Again walking back up to it, she firmly pressed her hand against the rough area. A green glyph appeared, and the panel lifted up, revealing a hidden elevator. They walked onto it, looking for some sort of control matrix. And find they did – a quite simple one. It had two arrows, one pointing up, and the other pointing down.

"Well, I guess that makes the decision pretty easy." laughed Paine.

Pressing the down arrow, the elevator rumbled, and began descending further into the depths of Bevelle. Screeching to a halt, the elevator doors opened, exposing a mysterious sight to them. Neither of them could possibly have imagined that the Bevelle underground could have possibly gone deeper, but it did. A short corridor led to a vast expanse. In the center of it was a glowing symbol. Rikku moved up to it cautiously, peering intently at it.

"Looks like a teleporter of some sort." she declared to Paine.

"I can only imagine to where it leads."

"Only one way to find out..."

With Rikku's famous last words, the two stepped onto the glowing teleporter, and instantaneously found themselves in the middle of a dank, bleak corridor. At first they believed they were back to the beginning of the underground, but soon discovered that wasn't the case. Trekking onward, they came to a turn, and found themselves being pounced by a ferocious dragon-like fiend. It roared as the girls rolled out of its path. Paine reached for her sword, and went for a slice. The fiend sidestepped her amazingly for its sizableness. Rikku wasn't worried, as she lobbed a grenade at its way, blasting it right in the face. The fiend quickly deteriorated into a swarm of pyreflies.

"Whew! That thing really scared me." she said, whipping the sweat from her forehead.

Continuing onward down the corridor, they found it led to another corridor. Not sooner did they turn the corner did a trio of flying fiends. They were the one-eye kind Paine hated the most. One swooped down almost knocking Rikku off her feet. A second shot some sort of burst at Paine, causing her whole body to sting. Rikku went to slice it with her blades, but it nimbly flew above her range.

The third one, in conjunction with the first one, both flew down at Paine. But Paine was ready for them, as she did a full-body swing with her sword, completely extending herself. Cleanly she cut them in half. The second fiend retreated into the darkness. Paine threw her sword behind her, scoffing at the cowardly fiend.

"Man, where's Yuna and her guns when we need 'em?" she joked.

Then she looked over at Rikku, who was sadly glaring at the ground. Quickly realizing her mistake, she took Rikku by the arm, prodding her to continue. Upon getting to the end of the corridor, they came to another teleporter. Stepping on this, they came to another long corridor, but this one was different than the last. Without any other option, they continued down it. More fiends populated this one, a lot more. Still, they handled them as well as the two of them could, and made it to the end, although this seemed like a never ending task. At the end of this was another teleporter. However, hovering above it was a floating fiend. While not huge in nature, it's pitch-black color gave Rikku the chills. Paine recognized it as an elemental creature, although she had never seen a black elemental before.

"Hey Rikku, watch yourself. Killing this thing might be tough." she warned.

Rikku nodded, giving Paine a confident nod, "We'll just pull through as always, huh."

And with that, the girls ran towards the fiend, yelling loudly at it. Rikku started tossing grenade after grenade at it, causing a spectacular array of colorful explosions. Unfortunately, none of these seemed to have much effect. It floated too high above Paine for her to reach it.

"Rikku, try to lure it down!" she bellowed, racing behind, or what she thought was behind, the fiend.

Not quite sure how to fulfill her friend's request, Rikku started jumping up and down, waving her arms in the air like a crazy person. The fiend took the bate, and lowered itself close to Rikku. Paine began to charge it, but stopped when the fiend fired off a catapulting magical attack. Rikku found herself caught by a radial sphere, exuding black magic from it. The explosion sent her flying backwards, and she crashed onto the ground. Paine screamed, and leaped at the fiend, slicing it. This, too, had no effect on the fiend. It merely shot the same magic at Paine. Not as injured, Paine rose to her feet. She wiped the stream of blood from her forehead, and glared at the fiend.

She noticed Rikku had gotten back on her feet. She was relieved to see her friend was alright. Looking at her, they shared a look, both knowing they weren't able to beat this fiend. Paine flinched her head towards the teleporter, and Rikku nodded. Suddenly, Paine darted for it, racing as fast as she could. Rikku whipped a grenade at the fiend, it exploding right around it. Then she ran for the teleporter as well. The fiend made one last attempt to defeat them by powering another magic attack. Barely escaping it, they teleported out of the room just before it fired.

For a moment, they both knelt on the ground, catching their breaths. That was the closest they had come to death in about a weeks time or so. Paine had to laugh at herself. She would have figured that death wouldn't seem so dangerous with as many times as they encountered it. She guessed it seemed so prominent with Yuna's horrible death, but now wasn't the time to brood. This time they were in a rather large arena-like area. It seemed void of fiends, which seemed all the more threatening.

The two got up, and carefully walked into the arena. A bright flash blinded them, and the appearance of a tall figure suddenly loomed before them. Instead of some horrific fiend, it was an old man. Yet he was not fragile. Rather, his demeanor was imposing and stalwart.

Still, he spoke with a withered tone, saying, "Dare you seek the past of Spira? My lord Kinoc expected you. This place you should have avoided, at your own peril!"

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_**Next chapter: **Anyone whose went through the Cloister of 100 (or whatever you'd like to call that damn thing) knows who the old man is. Is he another pawn of Kinoc's? And where is Kinoc himself?_


	32. Chapter 32 – Hell's on Fire

**Chapter 32 – Hell's of Fire**

Sorry for the late update. My modem and router got fried in a power surge last week, and it has taken since then to get the internet working again. It pretty much sucks going without that for a while, but oh well. :)

Anyway, I guess now is a good time to reiterate for the masses – Final Fantasy and all character pertaining to that are owned by Square-Enix. It's been a while since I've put that up, now my bum is safe again.

**9/1/05 –** Just doing some proofreading.

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"W-who are you?" belted Rikku, shivering at the old man's creepiness.

"I am Trema," he replied in the same distinguished, yet raspy tone, "I was the leader of warriors who had no foe to battle."

Paine scoffed at him, "I figured you were that guy Shinra talked about. You were the one who gathered up those spheres throughout Spira."

He nodded to her, "Indeed I did. I collected the tormenting memories of Spira. No longer will this land be plagued by the tragedies of the past."

"Tragedies? More like the secrets of the Yevonites you don't want Spira to know about!" shouted Rikku angrily.

Trema chuckled to himself softly, half-delighted by the Al Bhed's spark, "You misunderstand my intentions of what I have done these many past years. I created the New Yevon order so I could train warriors to battle once more."

"But there are no more battles to wage!" retorted Paine.

Bowing his head slightly, Trema nodded, "There in lied the problem. The fierce tenacity of warriors past had become feeble. Without Sin, there was no enemy to focus on – they were merely chasing shadows across a wall."

Rikku gave him a confused look, "Then why do all of this? It doesn't make any sense."

"Oh but it does...I gave these retired warriors a new enemy, and a new battle to fight. New life has been breathed into them."

"And what of the spheres you gathered? Where are they?" questioned Paine, her pose became sharp and inflamed.

"Destroyed. Ridden from this world are those memories which would weaken resolve."

Rikku stomped her foot, "How could you?"

"Sorrow makes the heart grow weak. Letting go of the memories of this world makes it become strong. Much sacrifice is necessary for Spira to be reborn anew. Reborn by the will of Lord Kinoc!"

"There's no way we're gonna let that madman control Spira!" barked Paine defiantly.

Trema bowed slightly, "Very well. Then we'll see how much sacrifice your hearts have made..."

Like a pulled trigger, these words ignited the fight. Rikku and Paine darted at Trema. For an old man, he nimbly performed a back flip to avoid their quick attacks. Positioning himself, he got into stance, and skillfully blocked their punches and kicks. Fury fumed from the girls' eyes as they came at him with all their might. Sliding out of their path, Trema speedily conjured up some magic, blasting a small wall of fire at Rikku. She rolled to her side, and only got singed by its heat. Paine ran at him, smacking him with her fist. Unphased, he artfully twirled around and kicked Paine in the gut, sending her stumbling backwards.

Rikku, recovering from her dodge, ran at him with her twin blades. Taking wild slices at him, she missed at every attempt she tried to cut him down. His skills matched his lore. Truly he was a talented and aged warrior. He acted as if their fearsome advances were nothing more than the buzzing of flies. The more he avoided them, the more anger the girls felt. It was Kinoc's blood they sought, but Trema's would do for now. To them, he was merely an obstacle to the final boss – a very problematic one.

In a sudden burst, Trema unleashed a fury of blows against Paine. Several times he connected fists to her face. With a yelp, she plummeted to the ground. Rikku shouted at Trema, and again tried to use her blades to slice him. Ducking her attack, he connected with a vicious uppercut to her chin. A spit of blood came from her mouth, but she wasn't finished, and neither was Paine. Attacking from both sides, the girls came at him with everything they had. Multiple times they sliced and hit him. But he countered with a pair of spinning kicks, knocking Rikku and Paine away.

A trickle of blood ran from his left leg, as Rikku had finally achieved a wound from her blade. Again he powered up a quick volley of magic. This time, it was aimed at Paine. Another blast of fire shot from the ground. Paine tumbled through it, and rolled up to Trema. With the hilt of her sword, she thrust it into his chest. With a great gasp, Trema fell to one knee. But it was for only a moment, as he rose again.

Now he went on the offensive. To Paine he punched and hit with a number of his martial arts moves. Paine was struck aghast, causing her sight to blur. Rikku took this distraction to jump onto his back. She tried to cut his throat, but was hurled off him. Before she was able to get up, Trema did a spectacular sliding kick, belting her hard. Paine screamed for her comrade, and tried to recapture his attention. She ran at him and swung hard, nearly slicing his arm off. However, he caught the blade between his hand, stopping it dead in its tracks. With a flick, he used her own momentum to twirl her in the air, flipping her on her back.

A hideous laugher roared from the dark walls around them. It was the unmistakable voice of Kinoc. His wrenching laugh cut deep into the skin of Paine and Rikku. Trema halted his attack, and now stood with stern posture, watching Kinoc fade into sight. Paine and Rikku both sneered at his very presence – their blood began to boil.

"Well, well, well...have I not shared enough pain with you already?" he snickered to his own delight.

"Lord Kinoc," greeted Trema, bowing to him, "how may I serve you?"

Kinoc waved his hand," You are serving me well. Killing these nuisances would be quite pleasurable."

"Like we'll die to you. Not after what you've done to Yunie!" yelled Rikku, beginning to charge Kinoc.

Paine stopped her," No, Rikku! Not yet..."

"Aw, it seems your little friend has gone and killed herself. Such a shame...I would have loved to turn her into a mindless slave when I slit her throat." he mocked.

"Damn you!" thundered Paine, using all her resolve not to charge him herself, "Have you no humanity?"

"Humanity? Ha! Such worthless morality did nothing for me when I was alive. What makes you think I would care about it when I was dead? I have true power, the power to enslave and cause suffering."

"Why Yuna? She never did anything to you?"

"Nothing? She was the reason I was killed in the first place. It was from Seymour's own lust for that wretched girl that he had me killed. I rather enjoyed seeing her die at my own dupe."

D-dupe? What are you saying?"

A tiny cluster of pyreflies swarmed beside Kinoc. It formed a figure of the small Fayth which promised Yuna her eternal wish. Rikku and Paine looked in complete disarray. They had no idea of what was going on.

"You see, I set up the meeting with this Fayth and your precious friend. He promised her heart's desire. I laughed to see how utterly flustered she was. Then he told her that her love could never come back, and she was completely devastated. Oh the joy I felt when I saw her heart drop right out of her soul!"

He screeched out a loud, morbid laugh. Rikku covered her ears, tears swelling up in her eyes. Paine, too, began to cry. They couldn't believe that Yuna killed herself, all at the whim of Kinoc. Paine embraced her friend, as she crumbled into a ball of tears. She looked with watery eyes as the little Fayth sadly gazed at the ground. Kinoc continued his long, taunting jest. A rumbling roar shot from the darkness around Kinoc. Crashing footsteps shook the ground. Paine, holding Rikku, darted her head around trying to find the cause of the immense trembling.

"We will see how you do against one of your friends, or should I say, newly-deceased friend's aeons...Bahamut, approach!"

Following his command, an enormous creature moved from the shadows. Truly it was Yuna's former protector, and one of her most powerful aeons. Bahamut walked in with his arm's folded; his posture was grand and ferocious. He let out a terrifying roar, and prepared to enter battle. The girls couldn't believe their eyes. If losing Yuna and fighting Kinoc and Trema wasn't enough, now they had to battle one of Yuna's aeons once more. But this would be the final fight. As they gazed into each others' eyes, they realized this. Win or lose, all they needed now was one last burst of resolve, for Yuna's sake, and Spira's as well.

Not waiting for Bahamut to make the first move, the girls charged at him, hollering at their loudest. Rikku blasted him with a grenade, angering him. Paine swatted at him with her sword, barely missing him as he evaded backwards. Counterattacking, Bahamut took a crack with his hand at Paine, who slid under him in avoidance. Rikku again hit him with another grenade, although this was doing little more than infuriating him.

Lunging forward, he quickly snatched Rikku up in his hand. Tighter and tighter he began to squeeze, trying to crush her under his strength. She let out a painful cry, as her body began to burn from the intense pressure. Paine screamed, and called up a circle of dark orbs around her. She shot them at Bahamut, blasting him hard enough to release Rikku and knock him on his back. Falling to the ground, Rikku bounced hard, and groaned while she tried to get up. She hobbled over to Paine, gripping tightly to her other arm.

"Rikku, are you alright? What's the matter?" Paine asked with alarm.

Rikku shook her head, blowing out a gust of air, "Don't worry about it, I'm fine. Let's just win this."

Paine nodded, and watched as the mighty aeon rose to his feet. He peered angrily at the girls, with a thirst for their blood. They returned his gaze with one equal to his own. This was the final showdown, and they had nothing to lose.

Kinoc took this critical time to add a little flavor of his own, "It seems you girls have bitten off a little more than you could chew. Without your precious summoner here, you are nothing more than pitiful, little warriors."

Trema winced slightly at his comment. The girls only ignored him, their sights locked on Bahamut. Again they let loose a vicious attack on the beast. Together Rikku and Paine assaulted him head on. Stabbing mercilessly, Paine cut deep into Bahamut's leg. Rikku, too, was slicing with rage on the same area. Bahamut let out an ugly scream. He lunged down with his opposite arm and swatted the girls away, launching them into the wall behind them. They simultaneously let out a racking grunt as they impacted, although they did inflict a sever wound onto the aeon.

Kinoc's eyes sharpened, and a hint of anger crept into his voice, "Come now, mighty aeon. I know you had served your former master better than this."

Bahamut snarled at the girls, his eyes pierced through theirs. Thrusting forward at them with blinding speed, he took a wild crack at Rikku, sending her hurtling away. Paine stabbed the aeon in the same arm that flung her friend, causing him to lash out at her. She quickly rolled under his repeated swipes. Roaring to the city above, the mighty aeon stomped down with his feet, nearly smashing Paine all over the ground. In a terrible fit, he managed to form a sizable crater beneath him, making him lose his balance and falter.

Paine jabbed with haste at him, slicing repeatedly into the aeon as fast as she could plunge with her sword. Swirling around crazily, Bahamut began to turn into a flurry of pyreflies. Kinoc stomped forward a step, not believing Bahamut's defeat. The cloud of pyreflies shot into the air, and disappeared.

Kinoc growled, "Bah, this matters not. You will still parish like your friend just did!"

"Hey! I ain't dead yet." announced Rikku, who was limping over towards Paine.

Paine ran over to her injured comrade. She enraptured her in her arms; her eyes teared up at the sight of her. She moved back to look at Rikku's bruised smile, and even let out a tiny laugh. Kinoc threw his fist into the air. He roared at the girls, cursing them to death.

"I will see your lives destroyed by the time I am through! You will suffer an eternal suffering along with the rest of Spira!"

Rikku spit out some blood from her mouth, "Whatever! It'll be you who goes away suffering!"

He peered evilly at them, "Trema...I'll leave them to you. Do not fail me!"

He nodded, and recaptured his sharp and mystifying stance which he was in before. Paine and Rikku stood next to each other, not allowing him any opportunity to out flank either of them. For a moment, they only but stared into each other's eyes. With no prior flinch, the three locked into deadly combat. Paine hit first, crushing him in the jaw with the hilt of her sword. But he struck back immediately, punching her twice in the stomach. Rikku rammed him, flinging him backwards, although he recovered quickly. He gave Rikku an acute chop in the forehead, causing her to yelp.

Realizing this to be a hopeless deadlock, Trema slid to the side, disengaging from the battling. Folding his hands and raising them to his nose, he began to whisper a chant. Paine and Rikku stood looking at him with confusion. Not sure why he was merely standing there unprotected, they leaped for him. They stopped immediately when they noticed a rumbling coming from the ceiling far above. A glimmer of red soon became the sight of many huge fireballs flying down from above. The girls faces turned to panic, as they had no idea how they were going to survive such an attack.

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_**Next chapter:** What can the girls do staring down the giant meteors of Trema's ultimate technique? Can they still destroy Kinoc, or will Kinoc destroy them? Either way, it will be the end for many in the last chapter._


	33. Chapter 33 – Rest in Peace

**Chapter 33 – Rest in Peace**

**9/2/05 – **Just some proofreading.

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The whipping heat plunging down from above burned at the skin of Rikku and Paine. To the ceiling was an array of fiery meteors, each one twice the size of either of the girls. Rikku clutched onto Paine, her pupils shrunk with fear. Trema stood with his arms stretched to the sky, ready to call down with might his ultimate attack.

Kinoc bellowed with evil laughter, "Yes, yes! Kill them, kill them, kill them! Mash them with your power, then burn them to cinder and ashes! Make them squeal until they breathe no more!"

Staring deeply into the eyes of the girls, Trema didn't flinch. His gaze was in complete deadlock with theirs. He could sense their every though – their every emotion. The heat from the meteors swirled throughout the massive arena. Even with sweat pouring down his face, he stood frozen. Kinoc was also undaunted by the protruding heat, as he continued his devilish speech.

"With you rid of, there will be no more fighters in my way. Ha! Since I have all the rest of the good warriors wrapped around my finger, it will be an effortless task to capture Spira. I will enslave the masses, and kill at least a thousand a day!"

Trema shot his gaze towards Kinoc. The burning meteors still hung in the sky, as if they were dangling ornaments. Even Rikku and Paine noticed Trema had not followed through to end them. They wondered what he was waiting for. Turning to face Kinoc, Trema listen with absolute fixation to his unending banter.

"I will evaporate everything from this world except my will. The blood shall rain from my hands. No one then shall oppose me! It will be wondrous to annihilate the rest of the soldiers in Spira!"

"What do you mean?" shouted Trema, who was visibly upset by Kinoc's words.

Kinoc flustered for a moment, realizing that Trema had not killed the girls with his conjurations yet, "What are you waiting for, blow them to smithereens!"

"Not yet...not until I know what it is you hold for the future. You promised me that the warriors I trained would be free to seek their own paths."

Kinoc began to tremble, "Heh, well you see...it is my almighty grasp that will determine the future paths of Spira. Do you think I would allow an old warhorse like you make any important decisions."

"You've betrayed your words," rumbled Trema, "you promised me a fulfillment of my desires."

"Stop bickering and kill them or I will kill you and your puny warriors myself!"

Trema's face wrinkled with anger. He now began to twirl his hands in the air, followed by the meteors hovering above him. They mirrored a similar burning fury, now pointed directly at Kinoc. He began to walk forwards, his smoldering rocks shadowing his pulsating steps. Stumbling backwards, Kinoc became discomposed, nearly tripping over himself. The flaming meteors' heat was not the only thing causing the sweat to pour nervously off of his face.

"W-what are you doing. K-kill them. Kill them!" he shrieked as he saw the horrid resolve building in the eyes of Trema.

Kinoc shook his head slightly, "No! It seems I have made a grave error. I should not have vested my faith in such a tyrannical man. I...I must undo this crime!"

With a flick of his wrist, the swirling balls of fire shot down at Kinoc. With a thunderously deafening crash, they engulfed the area where Kinoc was standing. Erupting in a fury of flames and smoke, everything that was there incinerated to ash. A thick smell hung in the air. In shock from what they just witnessed, Rikku and Paine dared not speak. Instead, they tried to find Kinoc through the clouds of black smoke.

"There's no use in searching for the priest. He is gone, never to return to Spira, or any other world." spoke Trema softly.

He then turned to the girls, and slowly walked up to them. His breathe was heavy – heavy with regret and sorrow. To one knee he went, cowering in front of the girls. They only but stood in his humbled wake, numb in their emotions. Neither of them understood why Trema had just destroyed Kinoc.

"W-why..?" Rikku finally stuttered out.

Kinoc let out a deep sigh, "I...I was never under the control of Kinoc, not like the others were. In these depths, he promised me that I could once again lead warriors – strong warriors, in battles of our choosing. Worthy battles that would make us once again worthy battlers."

"Then why," murmured Paine to him, "why kill him?"

"He had no intention of letting warriors be free. It was this I knew but never wanted to accept. Too long had I let him do his bidding unchecked. Such a despot as him surly would have destroyed Spira. You girls, you had the strong will to fight. I could not kill such valiant fighters for such a devil like Kinoc."

A sudden whoosh sounded from the darkness. From it, stepped a priest and two guards. They approached Rikku and Paine. Both the girls readied their weapons, but these men were not slaves of Kinoc. When Kinoc was destroyed, his control was broken, and his fiends evaporated to pyreflies. The battle was over, and they the victors. Rikku turned around to tell Trema, but he was gone.

"Hey Paine, where's Trema?" she asked, tugging on her arm.

One of the guards scratched his head, "Trema? He's dead – ever since he entrapped himself down in these depths."

The girls looked perplexedly at each other, but neither one said anything more of it. It was better not to ask, they both knew. Leading them to a hidden elevator, the girls would soon have daylight shining upon them once more. Before they entered, a tiny whispered echoed in their ears.

"Be strong, young warriors...and thank you..."

They smiled and nodded. For what they hoped to be the final time in the murky depths of Bevelle, the girls left for the surface. Outside, they surveyed the destruction. It was chilling – smoldering buildings, dead bodies, and debris littered much of the great city. But from the soldiers and the citizens the same was heard – they would rebuild. They would rebuild their grand city, in the hope it would become a newer, and prouder one.

One final task remained. Although they wanted not to tell Spira after the horrific event in Bevelle, they knew they must. Word spread throughout the land that their beloved summoner was dead. Even though the news of Kinoc's defeat was something to be joyous about, knowing their savior had fallen because of the endeavor soured their hearts. Nevertheless, all agreed a proper funeral was necessary in order for everyone to grieve.

Brother and Buddy, while the girls were talking with the temple in Bevelle for a public funeral, contacted Lulu and Wakka in Besaid. And to their expectations, both of them were utterly devastated. At first, they were angry that the funeral would be in Bevelle and not Besaid. But when they came better to their senses, and realized so many people would attend, as well as the fact that there was no body to bury, they agreed. While the girls prepared things in Bevelle, Brother and Buddy went to pick up those farther away from the city.

As word traveled, the people migrated. A full day before the funeral, Bevelle was overcrowded with mourning people from all over Spira. From Kilika to Guadosalam and Bikanel to Luca, the streets were filled. Never had so many people of Spira been at one place at one time. Most surprising, was when the entire tribe of Ronso appeared. Rikku immediately ran up to Kimahri, who was visibly shaken, and rapped her arms around him as best she could. What shocked them was the sight of someone else who they thought was dead – Garik.

"H-how is that possible!" yelled Paine, alarming many around her.

Garik solemnly bowed his head, "When Garik fought with Yuna, Garik accidentally slipped off Mountain's edge, and fell into ravine below. It took many days of climbing, but Garik survived. Ronso wanted to tell Yuna, but Ronso could not find Gullwings until it was too late."

They wanted to tell Yuna too. She felt so guilty when they believed Garik died. She thought it was her rage that killed him. This grief was what weighed heavy on her soul, which led to her suicide. Still, in their hearts they were glad to see Garik alive. For Yuna, they would smile.

Other friends arrived. O'aka and his brother Wantz came bearing bouquets of the most wonderful flowers that could have been picked on Spira. They asked if they could personally lay them at her tomb. The girls of course agreed. While Paine still didn't understand Rikku's affection for the shifty peddler, Rikku remember all the times O'aka and Wantz aided Yuna in her pilgrimage against Sin. Any man ready to sacrifice his freedom in a Bevelle dungeon, Rikku explained, is worthy of laying flowers for Yuna. Paine hinted a smile at Rikku's strong words. It seemed she was becoming stronger like her cousin.

The old troop of Crusaders, at least the ones still alive, came as well. Both Lucil and Elma came. Even Clasko arrived, riding his adoring chocobo. More surprisingly was the entrance of LeBlanc, along with a teary-eyes Logos and Ormi. Differences aside, as LeBlanc admitted, she really liked the Dullwings, especially Yuna.

"When I heard of...well, you know, I didn't believe it. I...I'm so sorry loves." she tried to comfort.

"I take back all the mean things I said about her!" balled Ormi.

"Me too!" balled Logos.

Rikku and Paine couldn't help but smile at their humble apology. They were glad to see them at the funeral. They were truly amazed at all the people who came. They knew Yuna was popular, but never to this level did they realize. As the sun set on Bevelle that day, though, their emotions saddened. By the time the sun would rise again, it would finally be time to say goodbye. Not a soul in Bevelle wanted to do so. Still, each one of them, especially those closest to Yuna, knew they must. Rikku could practically hear her voice scolding her for her lingering sorrow.

It also became harder when Wakka and Lulu arrived. Unexpectedly, it was Wakka who was the comforter. Lulu was nothing short of a basket case, especially when they arrived at Bevelle. For one who kept her emotions in check, she couldn't stop the outpour of grief which came forth from her heart. To Lulu, Yuna was truly her little sister. She remembered back to the night, similar to the night around them, when she talked to Yuna about her journeys. She almost felt guilty for not noticing her pain. She knew she was worried about her future, but she couldn't believe she was going through so much pain as she would take her own life.

"Hey, Lu...none of this is your fault. Its nobody's fault, ya. She...she had a lot of stuff on her head..." Wakka tried to console, but failed to find the words to do so.

"I know...but now that she's gone. W-what...what I wouldn't give just to see her one more time..." cried Lulu in his arms.

Wakka remained silent, and only held her tighter. Rikku and Paine entered the room they were staying at. Rikku clenched her hand into a fist at the sight of Lulu's crumbling. Never had she seen her in such a state of pain and sadness. Paine didn't much like seeing any of them in tears.

"W-Wakka," she choked out," We...need to know if either of you want to speak tomorrow."

Moving her head out of his chest, Wakka looked at Lulu, "Do you, Lu? You don't have to if you don't want to."

She shook her head, wiping the tears from her reddened eyes, "No...no. I want to...I will..."

Paine nodded, and immediately left. It was easily noticeable that she would burst into tears herself if she was around anyone crying at this point. Rikku shared her sentiment, but instead walked over to Lulu. Kneeling down, she hugged her.

"I...I wanted the b-baby to see her," shook Lulu, "I wanted my child to see her..."

Rikku's eyes filled with tears. She hadn't even thought of Lulu's baby. In a month or so it would probably be born. What would be such a happy occasion, now seemed to become abysmal. Rikku never realized, as perhaps Lulu herself never did, how important it was to Lulu for Yuna to see her baby. Lulu wanted Yuna to be her godmother.

"You know, I thought Yuna would eventually settle down. She could be my babysitter. She...she..."

Wakka retained his wife into his arms, the tears trickling down his chest. Rikku stood back up, gazing into his eyes. She nodded, realizing Lulu needed to be alone, and left the room. Outside, she leaned against the wall, covering up her eyes as tears poured out. It took her a few moments, but she regained some of her composure. She could be a wreck after the funeral, she thought to herself, but not now.

There was little sleep that night in Bevelle. Only the echoing sound of tears reverberated in the city. There was no lights, no hustling of markets – only the soggy cloak of a coming funeral. Slowly the night faded, and the unwanted dawn rose from the horizon. The day mirrored the mood. The sun barely showed through the mask of hazy gray clouds which hovered across the sky. The procession would now begin.

The streets around the temple were packed full of people as far as the eye could see. The Aurochs from Besaid, Donna and Barthello from Kilika, Tolbi from the Moonflow, Trommel from Macalania - they all came to honor the summoner they cherished. Even the venerable Maechen came. He besought them if he could speak at her funeral. Rikku and Paine were a little worried, thinking back to his multitude of long-winded stories. Still, it seemed appropriate from him to speak.

Rikku also had a painful question to ask him, "Maechen...w-why did Yuna's body disappear?"

After some further explanation, he responded, "If one has truly fallen from all hope, then their soul banishes itself from existence. It is rare that anyone would have so much grief burdening them, but it can happen."

Rikku didn't say a word back to him. She merely looked at the ground, a solemn tear falling from her lashes. Gripping her hand tightly in a fist, she tried to cast such a thought from her mind. But, she couldn't dismiss the fact that it was probably true.

A vast array of flowers, not just from O'aka and Wantz, but from people of all walks in Spira lavishly surrounded the altar on which Yuna's casket rested. Raised above for all to see, it was elegantly decorated. Its shiny black exterior reflected the few shallow rays of light protruding from the heavens. In the center was carved the same emblem of that of a summoner. Paine was sure something so magnificent would have made Yuna blush. In the front sat those closest to her – Rikku, Paine, Lulu, Wakka, and the memories of those of the past she loved. It felt as if even the spirits of Spira were watching her lay. There was not a dry eye in Bevelle, and the funeral had yet to commence.

Paine, through her will, stood up, and walked to the pedestal where she would begin it all. For a moment, she wondered where the leaders of Spira were: Gippal, Nooj, and Baralai. If anyone should be present, it would be them. However, she quickly dismissed the thought when she saw the thousands of weeping mourners. She inhaled deeply, calming her racing heart. Blowing the air out, she pulled the microphone close to her lips.

"Dear friends, and all that have come from across Spira, thank you..."

_I...I know for all of you, this has come as a most unpleasant surprise. Especially at a time of danger and peril, Y-Yuna's death has...hurt us all. I know some of you knew her for much longer than I did, but even still, I found out what kind of wonderful person she was. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be caught up in my own shell._

_I remember the first time I met her. She was such a backwards girl...I really didn't take to her much. Rikku...Rikku had brought her to the ship, saying something about a sphere and some man from her past. She joined us, The Gullwings, on our missions to hunt for spheres. But, so much more than that happened. As time past, we became friends – closer and closer friends. She taught me, that I needed to cut through my own inhibitions and grow...become a friend instead of bottling myself up._

_Whatever...whatever you might think about her, you couldn't ever find a better friend than her. To that...I am in h-her d-debt..._

Tears swelled up in her eyes. She paused for a moment, putting her hand up to her mouth. Breathing strongly in and out, she calmed. Stepping down, she nodded to Rikku. She had said want she wanted. Rikku walked up to the pedestal. Her hands shook with anxiousness. She was already crying, pained from the words Paine spoke. Although she never really thought about it, when Paine explained what Yuna had done for her, she shuttered. She knew it was true.

Looking over the crowd, she began to tremble greatly, but did not let herself be overcome by it, "Yunie...Yuna...was my cousin. Most of you probably had never realized this, but she is...was...part Al Bhed. I know it was a shocker for Wakka..."

_The first time I saw her was when I was very young. She, too, was just a little girl I believe. I don't know...but she was fun to play with. Two years ago...she was on her pilgrimage to defeat Sin. We, the Al Bhed, were snatching up summoners so they wouldn't die from summoning the final aeon. But, well...I ended up becoming her guardian. I think it was at the Moonflow when we first came together. I explained everything to her, and she to me. That's when I became her guardian._

_Those times, they were tough. She was to die summoning to destroy Sin. Heh, I think back to how afraid I was for her. No, not just me, but Tidus as well. We both racked our heads to come up with some way to save Yunie. I...I didn't want her to die... The journey was long and hard. Even with so much anguish, so much pain weighing down on her, she didn't give up. She was ready to sacrifice it all to save Spira._

_And then Yunie retired once Sin was gone. She was saved, but Tidus wasn't. It was hard, especially those first few months. Losing him, it was the saddest I'd ever seen her. And..now...now I know how she felt...losing someone...s-she...l-love..._

_No, but even then, she didn't give up. It was that kind of resolve that I loved the most about Yunie. She...she kept on going. I was so happy when she agreed to join the Gullwings. We could play happily together, I believed. Of course, we'd help her find Tidus again. If only I knew what...what would happen to her because of that...oh..._

Rikku broke into a fit of tears. She crumbled to the ground, burying her reddened face in her hands. Paine walked back up to her. Leading her down the stairs, the entire time Rikku's face concealed in Paine's chest, she sat her down. The sound of her tears was the only sound in the city. All were silent. This sorrowfulness only worsened Lulu. It was she who was to go next. Tightly she squeezed on Wakka's hand. He whispered in her ear that she didn't have to speak, but she shook him off. To the pedestal she walked, her face blush red, and her sight blurry from crying. She, too, was aghast at the wondrous crowd that had formed to mourn Yuna's death - people like her, who missed their friend.

She cleared her throat, speaking low and raspy into the microphone, "M-my little sister...she was to me..."

_She may...may have been born in Bevelle, but her home always was in Besaid. When her father, Lord Braska, died defeating Sin, he asked for her to be taken away from Bevelle. With Kimahri holding her little hand, she came to our island. I...I remember seeing the little girl, although I was much younger then. Along with my husband and Chappu, we would always play together. Although I...never really told her this, these were some of the best days of my life. I guess you don't realize these things until after...after you've lost them..._

_Still, she made me angry at times. I was furious at her when she decided to become a summoner. Even after telling her not to, she did so anyway. I half-expected her to do so, regardless of what I told her, but still...I cared for her...so much. And when she completed her training, I became her guardian. I knew how tough a pilgrimage was. I guarded two summoners before her. And with it being Yuna, I'd knew it would be even tougher, for both her and me._

_And those days were hard. Not only did she have to battle Sin, but she was at odds with Yevon itself during much of it. Seymour had pressured her for marriage, and even kidnapped her. We were chased by the temple throughout Spira. It was a mess, but Yuna survived it. Even when it came to fighting Sin itself, she never backed down. I will remain always surprised that such a tiny creatures could have such tremendous resolve._

_The darkest I'd ever seen her was when Tidus disappeared. We all knew they were in love...I guess it was easy to tell. When he was gone, she cried in my arms for days. It was the lowest I'd think she ever felt in her entire life. But she even battled through that. That's why I thought she would be alright, especially when she joined in sphere hunting. Never...did I think..._

_I-I'd just like to say thank you for all those who help her along her journeys. Please...please remember her, always..._

Lulu rushed herself from the pedestal, knowing a river of tears was about to come out. She again buried herself in Wakka's chest. Her resounding tears matched those now of many in the crowds of people. They all wept for their lost summoner. The wind blew a cold chill across the city. Only a few streaks of sunlight radiated from the sky, casting some semblance of light onto the funeral below. Finally, Maechen walked up to the pedestal. He would be the last to speak, in the promise that he would have some words of comfort for the crying masses.

"In my long years on Spira, I have known many a summoner. Some were greater than others, but none greater than our Lady Yuna..."

_At first glance, she seemed like a mere pup playing with giants. But never had I let her miniature stature persuade me of anything other than the enormous strength she encompassed. One could say her life was a never ending uphill battle. Even with no parents to care for her, she developed a loving and caring personality that outmatched almost all. Her compassion for the peoples of Spira was undying, maybe perhaps a little too much for her to control. Still, I can assure you that she had no regrets for her feeling about Spira. Like her father before her, she saw it as her duty to save Spira from the perils it faced. And saved she did, ridding Spira of the spiraling death it was in bondage to._

_She reminded me of a story of a summoner long since past. She was a beautiful songstress, a glorious woman who in heart and mind was very similar to Yuna. Oh...her name was Lenne I believe. She lived during a time of great turmoil as well. It was a thousand years ago, when the great war between Bevelle and Zanarkand raged across the land. It was a time when a steadfast resolve was needed to survive, and steadfast she was. Much like Yuna, she paid an ultimate sacrifice for defending that which she loved._

_It pains me to compare the two, knowing that their beauty and talents would have been used in better ways had not the world been in such danger, but I know neither one of them lived with any regret. No, they lived with the hope that they could create a world without fear, and without despair. But just as it was a thousand years ago, one can only lift the world for so long before they become crumbled by its weight._

_I think there is one thing Lady Yuna would wish you all to remember. It was the same when Lenne gave her final concert in Zanarkand before she left to battle. Live life to the fullest and happiest, and do not let the pains of the world stop you from being alive. And that, I am saddened to say, is that._

Carefully the old man left the pedestal and walked down the stairs. While his voice was firm, his body was shaken. Even an old man whose been through a lifetime's worth of trials could not help but quake at the funeral of a great summoner.

After some more tears and hugs, the funeral was over. The flood of people trekked back to the corners of Spira in which they lived, and Bevelle prepared itself for rebuilding. The Gullwings, along with Lulu and Wakka, left for Besaid. They all needed time to rest, and rethink about all that had transpired. There would be no more sphere hunting for a while – not until Yuna's passing would become bearable, if that ever happened. Lulu and Wakka, along with the other islanders, welcomed them to stay for as long as they liked. Even Beclem was glad for them to be there. Paine, too, was glad, as she forgot how much she enjoyed the warm tropical sun. Perhaps the Gullwings would continue sphere hunting, or perhaps they would not. The future was uncertain. Whatever was decided, none of them would forget the friend they lost.

Rikku sat, staring off into the rolling waves of the sea. She hid herself from the warm sun underneath a palm tree as a gentle breeze ran across her skin. Resting her head on her knees, she thought back to all the fun she had with her cousin. She wiped a small tear from her eye. No more would she cry – she had to be strong now.

"Thanks for everything Yunie. I'll miss you...but I'll become strong like you..."

The swirling hot winds of the desert blew up sand around her. A pulsating beam of heat blasted her from every direction. Around her, was nothing but mounds of golden-brown sand. It was a dismal setting, she thought, but one that suited her nonetheless. Dressed heavily, the woman treaded onwards through the thick sand. Wrapped in a deep blue cloak, and her face covered with a goggled mask, she wiped the swirls from its lenses. She left a pair of distinct boot marks behind her, showing anyone with a bird's eye view of her long journey.

Finally she came to an encampment. There was what she saw to be a rusty-looking hovercraft, and an array of tents forming a circle. The sun was falling in the sky, and the hazy night was dampening on the desert below. A few dotted fires began to spark their light. She was in the right place. Walking up the the camp, she was halted by a pair of guards.

"Cdub! Fryd ec ed oui fyhd rana? (Stop! What is it you want here?)" the guard commanded to know.

The woman waved her hand, "E ys rana vun y zup. E fecr du cbayg fedr Nhadala (I am here for a job. I wish to speak with Nhadala.)"

The guard peered ominously at the woman, but then nodded to the other guard. Running off to one of the tents, he brought Nhadala to see her. She brushed her blond hair back, wondering who this mysterious woman was.

"Oui fyhd du tek? Tu oui ryja ouin bybanc vnus Gippal? (You want to dig? Do you have your papers from Gippal?)" she questioned with resignation.

The woman shook her head, "Gippal ryc paah seccehk vun xieda cusa desa. Dryd ec fro E cuikrd oui uid. (Gippal has been missing for quite some time. That is why I sought you out.)"

Nhadala nodded, and asked, "Jano famm drah. E yccisa oui femm fung rynt uid eh dra pmywehk cyhtc? (Very well then. I assume you will work hard out in the blazing sands?)"

The woman nodded once, and Nhadala rubbed her hand against her chin. She then nodded as well, and agreed to allow the woman to work. She explained once again the dangers and hard work that goes along with digging in the Bikanel desert, but it seemed to her that the woman already understood the risks quite clearly.

"Ur, E teth'd lydlr ouin hysa. (Oh, I didn't catch your name.)" she asked, turning back around before going back to her tent.

"My name...is Lenne."

* * *

**_Next chapter: _**_Yeah, that's right, there's more. You all thought that this was the end. Nope, this story has only just begun (my poor carpal tunnel). With the mysterious arrival of Lenne at the camp in Bikanel, what secrets could she dig up in the ancient sands of the desert? More to the point, was is her purpose for going there in the first place?_


	34. Chapter 34 – Lenne of Arabia

**Chapter 34 – Lenne of Arabia**

_Just want to throw out that even though all the people in this chapter are speaking Al Bhed, I didn't do the usual translation thing. A couple of lines of Al Bhed (the English in parenthesis) is manageable, but a whole chapter's worth would probably be confusing. Still, if you really want it like that, let me know._

**9/7/05 – **Just proofreading stuff.

* * *

Peering over the tops of the mighty sand mounds, the sun was greeted by a chilly air swirling across the desert. In the day, Bikanel was a vicious and burning blanket of sand and grit. In the night, it was a cold and desolate wasteland. Little was there of signs of life, just those brave enough to encamp themselves in such a horrid place. Still, there were many who called this place home. The Al Bhed certainly had no qualms about their beloved sand dunes and cacti friends. For outsiders, the conditions were harsh. But for them, it was unnaturally cozy. Two years ago, Home, the citadel established for them to hold life, was destroyed by Yevon and the Guado. Since them, the Al Bhed had spanned Spira in search of a new home.

While never did they find a cherishable place like Home was, they instead found new comfort in adjoining themselves with the greater populous of Spira. A few lost there way, but it was the dawn of a new age for the Al Bhed. Nevertheless, many still kept to their desert island. Most of these took work for the Machine Faction, in the quest for discovering the many secrets hidden beneath of sifting sands of Bikanel. The work was hard, even brutal at times as the blazing sun beat down onto the dunes below, but it gave many of those uncertain Al Bhed a focus they hadn't found elsewhere. It even gave outsiders an opportunity to achieve a greater purpose, or shelter themselves from the world outside.

"So, what's up with the new girl?" asked a rather tall and thin Al Bhed man.

"I don't know much about her," shrugged a shorter and younger Al Bhed man, with spiked hair, "she just kinda showed up here two nights ago."

The tall Al Bhed itched his head, and adjusted the yellow and brown mask he was wearing. He then proceeded to pick up the long beam which was lying on the ground next to him. The spiky-haired man followed suit, and picked up the second beam next the the other one. Walking over to their boss, the men plopped down the two beams.

"So Nhadala, where do you want these?"

She looked over at them, and then to the beams, "Oh, Gadrock, Rhala...uh, put them over by the hovercraft for now."

The two men nodded, and proceeded to follow their orders. Once they were finished lugging the beams to their places, they walked over towards the mess hall, or in this case the mess tent. It was lunch time, and the sun was especially powerful today. They were glad to seek some refreshments. To their interest they noticed the new woman already had gotten her meal. She was sitting on the bench outside the tent. Rhala suggested they go up and see how she was, although Gadrock was a bit apprehensive. The woman was quite mysterious. She came at dusk two days ago, and had said little since then.

Rhala approached her first, and waved to her, "Hey there. How are ya doing?"

Looking up, she replied to the spike-headed man, "Ok I guess. It's hot out here."

He chuckled, "Yeah, it certainly is. You'd better get used to it, 'cause it never snows 'round here."

She, too, let out a small laugh, "I suppose you're right."

Helping himself, he took a seat next to her, "So, what's your name new girl?"

"Oh...Lenne...my name is Lenne."

"Lenne, huh? Well...that's quite a pretty name. Lenne is a little odd as an Al Bhed name...but hey, whatever."

"Um...what is your name?" she asked hesitantly back to him.

He smacked himself humorously on the head, "Excuse my bad manners. I'm Rhala, sexiest Al Bhed this part of Bikanel."

"Self-proclaimed of course." chimed in his friend as he shook his head.

Rhala flicked him a quick smirk, "Yeah, whatever. This here's Gadrock. Quite the punk he thinks he is."

He smiled cordially at Lenne, rubbing his hand on the back of his head, "Yeah, I'm real punk and all."

The two Al Bhed men let out a hearty laugh. Even Lenne emitted a laugh, although it was feeble in comparison. She wanted to be happy with them, but felt a torrent of pain inside. At best, she could at least put on an appearance that she was alright. Still, the hurt swelled. That wasn't the only thing swelling around her, as a gust of sandy air blew by them, startling her.

"Hey, ya gotta watch out for them," comforted Rhala, putting his hand on her shoulder, "this desert likes to burp and belch at ya."

"Hey you guys, eat or get back to work!" hollered Nhadala as she walked over towards the mess tent.

They nodded, then scrambled into the tent. Nhadala stood next to the bench, shaking her head, "Geez...don't know what I'm going to do about those two."

"They don't seem bad." replied Lenne softly.

"Nah, they're just a pair," she remarked, "anyway, I need you to come over to the hovercraft when you're done. It'll be time to go for your first ride."

"Right!" she answered with some delight.

Nhadala walked off, and Lenne finished her meal. She was ready to go digging, as the past two days had been annoyingly boring. Unfortunately for the new people, they get stuck on grunt duty the first couple days they are at camp, before Nhadala sends them out on a mission. She supposed it was due to the harsh conditions she had to get used to. It seemed the desert didn't care much for new comers, as it constantly sought to agitate her. If she had to wipe another gallon of sand out of her shirt one more time, she felt like she was going to scream. However, before she went crazy, she at least needed to gain the respect of Nhadala and the rest of the Al Bhed workers.

As she headed for the hovercraft, she admired the amazing efficiency at which the Al Bhed worked. No wonder, she thought to herself, Nhadala was always yelling at Gadrock and Rhala – they didn't seem to enjoy the concept of working prudently. Still, they provided a much needed sense of excitement and humor to keep the heat from inciting insanity. Suddenly a little probe flew over her head, causing her to shriek.

"Hey babe, are you finally heading out for a mission?" it questioned in a mechanical voice.

Half-scared at the intruding contraption, she muttered back, "Huh? Uh...y-yeah I am."

It made a nodding-like motion, and whooshed away. Letting out a gust of air, she put her hand over her heart. She grumbled to herself, wondering why everything in Bikanel liked to come at out of nowhere to scare her. Another Al Bhed man walked up to her, in a less obtrusive manner, and greeted her.

"You must be Lenne. I'm Pilot, and I'll be running you on your first mission." he proclaimed, shaking her hand.

She nodded and followed him to the hovercraft. It was a frightening piece of equipment. Although it wasn't because it was large, or powerful, but because it appeared as it would break into a million pieces at a moment's notice. And it was such a thing that she had to depend on to return her to safety. Her stomach gurgled in response to her uneasiness. Pilot had no problems, as he hopped into the cockpit and fired up the engine. With a ripple and a roar, the large propeller rumbled and started rustling up the sand around it.

"Don't worry. I bet you think this thing is some sort of rust bucket, eh?" he laughed, motioning her to come aboard.

"Oh well...I didn't..."

His chuckled boomed over the engine, "It's alright. This junker hasn't failed me yet. Ol' Sally here is as dependable as the sun itself."

Carefully, she climbed onto the hovercraft, and they set sail. Gliding over the sweltering dunes, she got a full glimpse of the rolling canvas that was Bikanel. It was midday, and the bronze sand matched perfectly the hazy blue sky. Only but a handful of puffy white clouds covered it. Everything almost seemed painted – even if Lenne felt it wasn't much of a masterpiece to live in. Nor was it that impressive to ride on "Sally." With every bump she closed her eyes, gripping for her dear life to the metal infrastructure of the hovercraft.

"So, what brings a nice girl like yourself to this stinkin' desert?" asked Pilot interrogatively.

Lenne paused for a moment to emit a sigh, "Well...I needed to get away. It's difficult to explain..."

"Bah, say no more then. We all have our reasons, and they should stay personal. Don't worry about it. As long as you dig well, and Nhadala likes you, you'll do just fine here." he spoke with encouragement.

Cheerfully she nodded, and watched as the wisps of sand in the distance kicked up high into the sky. It didn't seem long until they reached their destination. Slowing down in what seemed like the middle of a golden void, Pilot switched off the engine. The only thing in sight was sand. Popping open a compartment in the back of the hovercraft, he handed Lenne a little device.

"This here's a..." he begun.

"Oh yeah, I guess I'll need a transmitter. Thanks."

He scratched his head, "You already know how to use one of these things?"

She gasped slightly, lowering her head for a second, "Oh, I um...had someone at camp show me, heh..."

Adjusting his goggles, he lit up with a big smile, "Great! Saving time already, you're shaping up quickly!"

Then he pulled a map from his back pocket and placed it on the hovercraft. After flattening all the crinkles in it, he moved his finger around a thick red circle aligned with crossbones.

"This here is the limit you're to go. Sally here is the 'X' in the middle. Anything within this area is good, but beyond that and you might get into trouble."

"Ok! Is there anything in particular I should be searching for?"

He shook his head, "Nah, we've dug up the Southern Expanse pretty well. But be on the lookout for rare coins. Rin likes to buy them up for his sphere game thing."

"Ok, that doesn't sound so bad."

"That's the spirit! Make sure you're back within an hour, else the heat will eat you up."

And with that, she was off to adventure in the desolate atmosphere of the desert. Accompanied with her half-rusted shovel, she set out to examine what might lay below the surface. This particular day was scorchingly hot. Lenne hoped the two flasks of water would last her an hour. Flipping on the switch of her transmitter, she grazed it across the ground to see what it could find.

"Whew! I forgot how tiresome it could be to dig." she murmured to herself, adjusting her mask.

A series of beeps sounded from her device, showing that something was beneath her. Putting the transmitter down, she broke out her shovel and began digging into the sand. It was arduous work, as the wind kept blowing sand back into her hole. Frustrated, she began digging faster and harder. With each motion she let out a pained grunt. Not from physical pain, but from pain within. To have abandoned all, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do, was constantly a thorn in her side.

Sleep was always a problem, as shrieks of the past would haunt her in the darkness. It didn't help that the icy cold air only combined itself with her freezing soul. Now it was the same desert with which she was in battle against – and the desert was winning. She could picture him in her mind with every thrust of the shovel. Popping in and out like an apparition, she could not banish him from her eyes, not even with them closed.

Yet she had to succumb, but not to the thoughts in her mind, but to the desert's heat. From her fit of vexation, she collapsed onto the burning desert floor. She looked hazily to the blue sky, although it began to darken. Fading to nothing, she became unconscious. Not a sound of the gliding wind could be heard by her...

_A cloud of pyreflies encircled her as she came to. Sitting up, she gazed around, but saw nothing but darkness around. The only source of light was the mystical pyreflies dancing around her. She felt a tingling feeling when they brushed against her face. Putting her hand against her cheek, she let out a sigh. To feel again, she thought to herself, how nice it would be. Rising to her feet, she started to walk, but seemed not to be moving. All around her was darkness – a void in which nothingness existed._

_But there was a noise in her ear, and it wasn't the chime of the pyreflies. No, it was a voice – a voice of a man she knew, a man she yearned for. Quickly she spun around, and found herself within an arm's length of him. Gazing into his eyes, she cried at his sight. Missing someone for what felt like an eternity, she wanted to rush into his arms. Yet she stood in place, frozen to the ground._

_"Why do you cry for me?" he asked, his face somber with expression._

_She looked down, and placed herself in his arms without even thinking about it. She knew all too well the answer to his question. Without him, she had just been floating through life not knowing what to do, or who to love. Placing his fingers beneath her chin, he raised her eyes with his. Connecting with his beautiful blue eyes, she expected to see the sadness within his heart. Instead she realized he was filled with hope and happiness._

_"I...I miss you..." she finally replied, feeling his finger wipe away her tear._

_"You're stronger than that. Don't give up...not just yet..."_

A faint murmur ringed in her ear. She felt herself being shook. When she opened her eyes, she was once again greeted by the hazy desert sky. She sat up partially, even though she was not completely out of her dream state yet. She moaned as she rubbed her panging head. Looking around, she finally realized it was Pilot try to break her out of her sleep.

"Hey, are you alright Lenne? Man, you had me worried." he growled, although with a sound of relief.

"Huh? Oh, yeah...what happened?"

He began to rub his head, "Beats me. I see you digging like a fiend and the next thing I know, you're unconscious getting covered with sand. Guess you worked yourself too hard."

"Sorry..."

He smiled, "Ah, don't worry about it. At least you're ok, that's what counts."

A low humming sound echoed from the distance. A smaller hovercraft was coming nearer to them. As it came into view, Lenne saw Nhadala riding it. She wondered if she was going to be in trouble.

"W-What's she doing here?" she asked hesitantly.

"Her? I called her out when I saw you pass out. I think I kinda freaked so I'm not surprised she's on her way here. She takes this business very seriously, and I don't mean just the digging."

Coming to a halt, Nhadala hopped out of her little hovercraft and walked over to Lenne and Pilot. She seemed to have her distress lifted when she saw Lenne was conscious. Brushing some of the sand out of her hair, she stood in front of the two, placing her hands on her hips.

"I thought you said this was an emergency?" she grumbled to Pilot, who replied with a nervous laugh.

"Well, it was ten minutes ago. She about fell flat on her face out there digging that hole."

Nhadala looked down at Lenne, who was looking back up at her. Even with her mask on, it was easy to see from her demeanor that she was embarrassed to cause such a commotion. Smiling, Nhadala knelt down to talk to her.

"Hey, don't worry about this. I'm just glad you're alright. But you can't push yourself too hard, ok?" she comforted, patting Lenne on the shoulder.

She nodded, feeling a little better now that she knew Nhadala wasn't upset. She got up and dusted herself off. Pilot and Nhadala had went over to the hole she was digging. They were peering approvingly at something down in it. Lenne walked over, herself curious as to what she uncovered in the desert sand.

"No wonder you were digging so feverishly," exclaimed Nhadala to her, "these are some very rare coins you've discovered!"

"Good timing too. Isn't Rin coming tomorrow for pickups?" Pilot asked to Nhadala, while rubbing his chin.

"Yeah he is. I'm sure he'll be happy to meet you now." she laughed as she bagged the small collection of sandy coins.

Climbing aboard Sally again, Lenne slumped herself down. She was exhausted from the day's little adventure. Wiping the sand from her lenses, she blew out a long blast of air. She was ready to fall asleep, and would if it wasn't for the incessant rattling of the hovercraft. Arriving back to the camp, the sun was already turning in for the night. And as soon as it left for its slumber, the temperatures dropped to an unpleasant cold. Everyone gathered in their tents – that is except for Lenne. Since they hadn't any extra room, Nhadala put together a makeshift shack for her. Although it may had been an outhouse at one time, at least it didn't smell. She was glad to be alone, it was easier that way. All she wanted – all she needed, was a small and cozy place to steal herself away to.

Plopping down on the clunky mattress she used for a bed, she gazed up at the dark ceiling. She sighed, and wondered how life was going to be out in the desert. It certainly wasn't what she was accustomed to, but she had no other place to escape to. Here, she was safe, or so she thought. Thinking back to her dream in the desert, she tried to rid herself of his face. But she couldn't help but enrapture herself in a sense of calm by it. It was, after all, the man she loved – for now and to the end of eternity's reach. It had been so long; the pain of a thousand years it seemed weighed down upon her.

Rolling over, she tried to get comfortable, even if it was a struggle because of the terrible bedding. Letting out one last little sigh, she closed her eyes. For a final thought, she hoped the days would get better. Still, why was she still having the dreams. She wondered, wasn't the dream over?

* * *

_**Next chapter: **Rin comes to Bikanel to pick up his coins. There he meets Lenne for the first time, even if he believes the two have met before. She still continues to come to grips with the harsh desert, as well as some of the characters it holds._


	35. Chapter 35 – Ancient Fate

**Chapter 35 – Ancient Fate**

The desert was quiet as the sun crested the towering dunes of sand, allowing its light to shine upon the desert floor. Quickly the temperature rose, thawing out all the inhabitants below. In the distance, a low murmuring of engines hummed. The small airship, with a trail of blackish smoke following behind it, was gliding gallantly across the morning dawn. It's yellow paint job reflected with marvel the orange and blue gradient of sky. The sailing was smooth, and the wind was all but a whisper.

This ship was property of Rin and his business. Times after Sin had been lucrative for the savvy Al Bhed businessman. His new creation, Sphere Break, had been all the rage in Spira. Raking in all kinds of gil, he sought to expand his game by searching for the rarest and most ancient coins he could find. This made his a frequent visitor to the digging camp at Bikanel. Often they would come across these kind of coins, and sell them to him for a profitable price. Nhadala depended at times for Rin to be a benefactor, as with the Machine Faction's leader, Gippal, missing, it had been hard for her to acquisition necessary funding at times.

With dawn protruding over the camp, the sounds of early stirring could be heard. Nhadala, as to be expected, was the first to wake up. She had much to prepare, as well as making sure the rest of her team was up out of their slumbers. Specifically, she knocked on the tent of Rhala and Gadrock. They were famous for being late for work. Besides them, though, the workers got up on their own volition, and began the day. This morning there was to be no digging. With Rin on his way, they had to prepare for his arrival.

"Alright you two sleepyheads," order Nhadala, "I need you to move those chests of coins to the loading bay."

Rhala chuckled, "You're callin' it a loading bay now. It's just a couple wooden beams and a plank we put together."

"Well, it's a loading bay now...so move it!"

Nhadala stomped away, leaving only a snickering Rhala and Gadrock. The two men lifted up one of the chests. It was filled with many of the rare coins Lenne had discovered the previous day in the desert. Without her discovery, Nhadala was worried she would not have had enough coins to turn a decent profit.

"It's kinda funny knowing that the new girl is doing better in the boss' eyes than you." joked Gadrock, looking over his shoulder.

"Whatever man. You ain't getting' rid of me for a long time."

"Yeah, uh-huh. Just keep thinking that until Nhadala throws you out in the middle of nowhere."

"Hey, that's no way to talk 'bout a friend."

"Truth hurts...I know man."

The two Al Bhed men laughed as they lugged the heavy chests. Finally awakening from her sleep was Lenne. She rolled on her side, and squinted her eyes as a glimmer of sunlight crept into her shack. She got up, and dusted some of the sand that had fallen on her during the night. In the small sink she washed her face off, and looked into the cracked mirror. For a moment she paused to look at her own reflection, then scoffed and put on her mask. After finishing dressing, she went outside. The sound of an airship caught of her attention. Looking up to her left, she saw it hovering in the distance. Footsteps marched in front of her.

"That's Rin's ship coming in. Will you give me a hand getting stuff ready?" Nhadala asked, waving to her.

"Oh sure." she replied concisely.

Walking over to a tall stack of crates, Nhadala pointed to a small chest, "We should be able to handle this one."

She bent down and grabbed one end of the chest. Lenne followed suit, and grabbed hold of the other end. She grunted as the two hoisted up the chest. Even for its small size, it still had some weight to it.

"W-what's in here?" she let loose, almost losing her balance.

"The coins you found yesterday."

Lenne was surprised, as she thought she found only a couple of coins, "Wow, I found this many?"

Nhadala shook her head with eager happiness, "Yeah! And not just this, but three more chests worth. You really saved us. Before you stumbled upon those coins, we barley had a chest worth of them."

Behind her mask, Lenne hinted a smile. Nhadala could tell, even if she couldn't see it. Being so used to working with people having their faces covered, she became adept at reading people's emotions – almost as some sort of sixth sense. She also could tell that Lenne, while she seemed kind and nice, was not whole of heart. But whatever transpired in her life before she came to dig didn't matter. All that she cared about was the juicy profit these coins would get from Rin.

Glancing up at the sky, she located his airship. It was nearly time for him to land, so she scramble to finish her preparations. Swirling up the sand around it, the airship touched down with a soft grace. Lenne could tell Rin kept up his ships, unlike Pilot. The ramp to the airship slowly reached the dusty ground. With a swish the doors to the airship opened, and a smiling Rin walked out. He greeted everyone with eager gesture, and walked over to Nhadala.

"Hello Nhadala. How are you doing?" he asked politely.

"Quite well, especially since you're here." she cracked to his delight.

"Ha, I'm sure you are," he grinned, "and if you're that happy to see me, then I should be excited as well."

Nhadala nodded, "Right! We have four full chests worth of coins for you today."

"Quite impressive. I believe that's the most you've had for me in some time," he replied delightfully, "Good news gives me something to be cheerful about."

"Oh? Have you been having troubles as of late?"

"Me? No, but the funeral for Lady Yuna was just three days ago. It was an event...I'd like never to attend again." he sighed, rubbing his eyes.

Nhadala's voice quieted, "So it was true then, that she died. How...tragic. She was a good digger, not to mention a real nice girl."

Rin agreed, then tried to raise up the mood again, "Her memory shouldn't be forgotten, but let us not have the past burden us. I thank you for your continuing business."

"Of course. Oops, I almost forgot," she mumbled as she pranced over towards Lenne, "this was all thanks to her actually."

Lenne folded her hands together and hesitantly bowed to Rin. He smiled and nodded his head. He eyed her up approvingly, although he noticed that she wasn't Al Bhed. He rubbed his chin for a moment, but never stopped smiling.

"Interesting...it seems you've been outsourcing employees Nhadala," he noted, "if I may ask Lenne...where is it you come from?"

She looked back at up him, pausing for a moment before answering, "I'm from Zan...Bevelle. I come from Bevelle."

Half surprised to hear someone from Bevelle was here, he had to comment jokingly, "It's truly intriguing to hear that a person from Bevelle would come all that way out to this desert. Heh, I suppose you were never a member of the Temple."

"Oh I was...but that was a very long time ago."

He nodded a few times, ponderously examining the young woman. He was particularly fond of her brief and overly polite mannerisms. They seemed familiar to him for reasons he couldn't place a finger on. He shrugged them off, knowing they weren't any of his business. He was more interested in the chests of coins; it was profit that warranted his attention more so than a stranger's impression. Nhadala opened up one of these chests to show off the merchandise inside to Rin. To his eye, he saw a marvelous array of delicate coins. A glimmer in his eyes shinned as he saw a golden pile of profitability waiting in front of him.

He smiled heartily at Nhadala, "I will certainly purchase these from you. I think these are some of the finest coins unearthed in Bikanel."

"Well, we aim to please when it comes to your patronage." she replied thankfully.

Rhala and Gadrock carried the four chests onto his airship. They were amazed at all the impressive gadgets and technology which resided on it. Rin explained to them that he was testing out a number of new instruments while he was on his trip. Lenne also went aboard, curious to see Rin's collection of contraptions.

"Tell me Lenne," he began to converse, "how are you adjusting to life in Bikanel? The desert can be tough on your stamina at times."

"Oh, it's hard, but I'll see it through."

He smiled, "I see. That's good to hear. It sounds like you have a strong spirit within you."

"Oh, I don't know about that." she laughed softly.

"Nonsense – you shouldn't leave yourself in such doubt. You know, that kind of contradiction reminds me of someone I used to know."

She looked at him in surprise, "I don't understand..."

"As I was talking about before, the recent death of Lady Yuna has shaken Spira to its core. You remind me of her. She, like yourself, had the same strong will mixed with self doubt that gave her a most unique character."

She looked down again, "How can you be strong if you are always plagued with doubt. She doesn't sound so great to me."

"Well, I guess you just needed to have meet her in person," he expressed, patting her on the shoulder while the two walked back down the plank of his ship, "it's a shame you never will have that chance."

Nhadala approached the two. Rin looked at her and shifted his train of thought. He had on last thing to share with her that he knew would peak her interest.

"Please take a look at this." he said while handing her a small device.

She examined it, and hummed to herself, "These are some interesting reading. What do they mean?"

He explained with pleasure, "Since I'm not one to waste opportunity, I've been testing my new machines on the go in my airship. This one in particular is for keeping track of my many chocobos in the Mi'hen Highroad. It just so happens that it effectively picks up transmissions from under the ground. This readings show an incredible something beneath the desert floor near the Cactaur Nation."

She scratched her head, "A spectacular 'something?' Just what is that technical for?"

"Well, I really can't say for sure. I thought it might be something you'd be concerned in investigating." he chuckled.

"Hmm...well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested. Such odd fluctuations in energy, I wonder what could be hiding down there...Thanks for the readout."

Waving to the workers seeing him off, he bowed and reentered his ship, ready to return to Mi'hen. Nhadala almost forgot to wave back as she was so absorbed by the data Rin gave to her. Firing up the engines, Rin soared off in heroic style. Lenne giggled slightly to herself, humored by his casual ways. Rhala and Gadrock were talking about his electronic toys they had seen.

"He's got some pretty sweet stuff packed in that ship of his." admired Rhala.

Gadrock was adjusting his goggles, "Yeah he does. Man that guy must be loaded."

"You bet he is. Did ya see how much be gave Nhadala for them chests of coins?"

"Speaking of which, I'm surprised to see she isn't counting up those riches. She so in to those readings he gave her."

Rhala grumbled, "Yeah, and I bet before long we'll be swimming in sand to find out what that's all about."

He chuckled, although he also agreed. Meanwhile, Lenne was slowly dragging the sacks of money which were Rin's payment. She grunted with each step, as they rolled leadened against the grainy sand. A particularly loud grunt snapped Nhadala out from her concentration, and she noticed Lenne lugging along.

"Oh geez. I'm sorry Lenne. I shouldn't be having you take those all by yourself," she apologized embarrassingly, "I wasn't paying attention."

She blew out a burst of air as she dropped the weighty sacks, "Whew! It's alright. You must see something truly fascinating with that."

"Oh. Heh, I guess I'm a sucker for the unknown. It's kind of why I'm out here in the middle of no where. I like discovery. Anyway...I'll go get some help for you."

She yelled over to the Gadrock and Rhala, who were busy goofing off. When Rhala spotted Lenne by the sacks, he quickly found motivation and darted over to her. Gracelessly he picked up one of the sacks and tried to throw it over his back in an attempt to impress her. Instead he nearly toppled over and did a beautiful face plant into the sand. Luckily she was there to catch his balance for him. Even if the roles were in reverse, Rhala was more than happy to take this opportunity to cast his charm.

"My hero. It seems today is my lucky day."

Gadrock slapped his hand against his face and shook his head. He couldn't imagine a bigger idiot. Lenne blushed under her thick mask, and helped him regain verticality. Nhadala, who had not gone too far away, smacked him on the back of the head.

"Hey, stop screwing around. I want to go check this out today!" she scolded at him, pointing fiercely at her mystery data.

"Man, you wanna go today?" he moped back.

She nodded sternly, "Yeah I do. Come on, the sun has barely peaked – the day is young...so get moving! Oh Lenne...you're coming too."

Lenne was a little apprehensive about that. She'd hardly been acquainted with things and now she was going on an expedition. Still, she thought it might be fun. The two Al Bhed men, however, didn't share her eagerness. They just looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Figures..."

Soon the four were off. Nhadala, to be expected, was pioneering the adventure. Rhala and Gadrock would be the legs, just in case something bad happened. This gave them quite an eerie feeling. They both knew these expeditions always brought trouble. Most nervous was Lenne, as she was Nhadala's "good luck charm." Not knowing how to respond to something like that, she just nodded and smiled, the desert whipping by them in Pilot's rusty hovercraft. It was a good day for another reason. The day wasn't nearly as hot as most. This meant they wouldn't have to worry about dehydration as much as normal. Nhadala was no less than tickled pink with the whole event. While she seemed stern most of the time to Lenne, it seemed she could get giddy like anyone else.

After about an hour, they reached the position where Rin had picked up the energy fluctuations. And everywhere in sight was nothing but a rolling plain of sand. Nhadala scratched her head, pondering where this energy could be coming from. There were no shafts apparent, so there couldn't be any mines or installations abandoned in the area. She thought there must be a cave buried somewhere beneath the sand.

"Hmm...Well guys, let's get digging." she ordered as she handed Gadrock a shovel.

"Digging...yeah..." was his meager response as he surveyed the endless scape of desert.

Lenne was silent, and dug her shovel into the sand. The four dug for hours, creating an impressive hole in the desert. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was turning a ravishing gradient of orange and red. Nhadala was ready to head for home – disappointed from their empty expedition.

"This sucks!" grumbled Gadrock loudly, "There ain't a thing down here. Are you sure Rin gave you the right directions?"

She shook her head, with a look of confusion on her face, "I don't get it. Is this thing that far down? I know we're in the right place."

"We have been digging all day, and this hole is huge. I say if we haven't come across anything by now, there is nothing here." sighed Gadrock.

"That's not necessarily true," blurted Lenne, "but we should come back to find out."

"You're right," agreed Nhadala, "we will resume this tomorrow hopefully. We'd better get going back."

Lenne was happy to hear that as the sweat poured down her back and face. Even if the desert was tamer than normal, it was still an oven to anyone exerting themselves. She wiped the condensation and grit on her mask away and pitched her shovel into the ground. A loud clank sounded, starling her. She looked down, and wondered what made the noise. Again she tapped her shovel to the ground. The same metallic clang rang, and she bent down to examine it closer.

"Hey, I think...I think I've found something." she called over to Nhadala.

Immediately perking up, she rushed over to see, "What? What is it?"

"I don't know. There's something metal underneath the sand here." she explained.

"Gotcha. Hey Gadrock, Rhala...throw my shovel back down here! We found something!" she yelled up the deep hole.

Gadrock slid her shovel down the hole's side, "What is it?"

"We're not sure yet...it's something metal."

The two girls dug profusely, and uncovered a big metal door of sorts. It was rusted, therefore showing its antiquity to them. Whether it was a structure or a cave, it was old. Nhadala tugged with force on the rusty door, and it screeched as she lifted it open. She poked her head partly into the opening, but saw nothing but darkness. Then she slid her whole self down into the opening. She asked Lenne to follow, and they both were cast into darkness.

"Hey...what did you find?" faintly called the voice of Rhala.

"We found a door! We'll come back up in a minute!" she shouted and felt around for her flashlight.

Bumbling around for her pouch, she eventually found it and took out her flashlight. Its light lit up what appeared to be a large, rocky cavern. From where they were, there was only one way to go. Nhadala sighed briefly to herself.

"Well, do you want to go? If not, we can leave."

Strangely, Lenne felt compelled to go forward, "No, let's go."

Nhadala smiled at her and led the way through the cave. It was cold and damp, and had a thousand-year-old mustiness to it. It had probably been centuries since anyone walked through the passages, Lenne thought. Nhadala just wished she had a map. They eventually stumbled upon a larger area. They also noticed a few lone pyreflies flying around in it. To find them here of all places puzzled both of them. Nhadala eventually shined her light on a door. It was very large and decorated. As they walked near it, a large glowing glyph materialized. Scaring them, they both jumped back. Nhadala quickly gathered her courage, though, and got back up close to examine it.

"You know," Lenne wondered out loud, "it kind of looks like a symbol in a Bevelle temple."

Nhadala scratched her head, "Hmm...I see what you mean. Weird..."

Now the question was how to open it. Nhadala searched around looking for a switch or a handle, but found neither. Then she backed up, hoping to find some sort of inscription written above the doorway. Lenne walked up to the glyph, attracted by its green light. Carefully she reached to it with her hand, almost with unalterable compulsion. Barely she touched it with the tips of her fingers did it suddenly open. With a violent rush she found herself sucked into the vacuum beyond it.

Furiously she found herself falling down a long slide, the swarms of pyreflies rocketing by her. She screamed and clamped her eyes shut. With a whoosh she was let hard to the ground. She rolled and came to a stop. Painfully she got up, and dusted herself off. While the ride was intense, she found she wasn't more than bruised. Looking around, she was entranced by the volumes of pyreflies swirling all around her. In fact, she was mystified by the surreal setting which she was surrounded by.

To her eye, it was as if she was spirited away to the Farplane. She turned around, and behind her was the cave in which she just slid from. But in front of her was a completely different place altogether. Against her feet she noticed an array of small flowers, in a rainbow of colors. The sky was gray, and a crystal waterfall crashed nearby. Many of these flowery islands floated above the cloudy void below. It was breathtaking and frightening at the same time.

"Again I have found you my love." echoed a voice.

Gasping loudly, she darted her head around frantically, trying to find where the voice came from. She found the source – a tall blond-haired man she knew well. Her head began to spin and she felt dizzy inside. He walked a few steps closer to her. She looked hazily into his eyes, and saw the same man who entranced her the last time she was in the Farplane.

"Soon we can be together in peace. Soon we will be alone, Lenne."

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Lenne has found herself fallen through the back door of the Farplane. And there she meets her love (you all know who that is). He tells her further of his plans to deal with the unending problems with Spira, and how he will truly dismiss the spiral of death and despair._


	36. Chapter 36 – The Wrongs of a Lover

**Chapter 36 – The Wrongs of a Lover**

Lenne both blushed and cringed at his advance. It had been so long since a man made such a forward motion at her that she felt suspended. Her breath was heavy, and she wasn't sure how to respond. She glanced down to see her mask lying beside her feet. She wondered what he was conspiring to do. From her prior encounter with him in the Farplane, she knew he recaptured Vegnagun. His plan for the destruction of Spira, the one he proclaimed before, weighed deathly in his eyes. She realized, or rather, came to accept, the fact he may never relent it.

She lit up, and swirling rays of pyreflies flew from her glowing body. It was the same as the last time she entered the Farplane. She looked in dismay as they twirl around her luminescent body. Once again she was dressed as a songstress. Shuyin looked on in pleasure.

"To see you again my love...my heart races. I've long for so many years to be with you...and soon we can have that be true." he declared, still marching closer to Lenne.

Hesitantly she took a step backwards, still in cowardice to his words, "Sh-Shuyin...please, don't do this, f-for me..."

"Why not?" he asked, shaking her further with his immediate firmness, "Spira gave us no refuge. We were never allowed to harness our love because of the battling between Zanarkand and Bevelle. I want to cast all that misery to oblivion!"

"I...I know you do. But please, how can Vegnagun to that...f-for us? We...can still live together without destroying Spira."

"No we can't!" he snapped back, "The fighting continues – on and on in a never ending spiral. Has it not been a thousand years, and still do they fight?"

Lenne remained silent to his question, only the solemn echoing of the waterfalls sounded in the air. She knew the truth. The incessant bickering and bludgeoning between one sect of Spira against another was all too apparent. The Youth League and New Yevon fought the same way as Zanarkand and Bevelle did a thousand years ago. Still, she didn't want to admit that the similarity existed.

Her expression was grave, as she believed fully in his ability to destroy Spira with Vegnagun. Looking up at him, her eyes gazed with his. Her entire existence was tragic, and she always prayed that one day she could break free from it. Yet, even this long after death, the peoples of Spira still fought one another. In the back of her mind, she felt that her hopes had betrayed her.

"It has been countless generations, and if they cannot free themselves of their petty debts, then I will do it for them," he growled, his eyes burning with intensity, "I will march on their land, or raze it to ashes!"

Lenne solemnly shook her head, "No...that is no more right than what was done in the past. That...that is why I still continued my summonings all those years ago. It was to save Spira, not to destroy it."

"I...I know. That's why it has pained me to rot this past millennium, knowing how you've eternally longed to aid this sorrowed land. But no matter how hard you try, no good can come from helping this place."

"How can you say that? Why would you even try to save me if all you're going to do is annihilate the place I've protected. Please, you must see the madness in that!" she yelled, tears forming in her eyes.

"Madness? The madness is believing that Spira can be saved. It is they who bind themselves to the spiral of death. Sin was just a symbol of that. Surely you have not forgotten what the spiral did to us?" his voice roared with indignation.

Stepping closer to him, she whispered, "Yes, what happened to us was sad. But that doesn't give you the right to repeat it. Do you truly want this to happen to someone else?"

"Does this world even have someone else who cold possibly be so full of foolish love that they would devote themselves to saving Spira – even at the cost of their life?"

She moved yet another step closer to him, this time her face was cross with anger, "Yes...yes, there are many whom have the same love as I!"

He paused with silence briefly, pondering her remark, but then spoke, "This world has you so torn Lenne...not only can I see it in bondage to its own pitiful whims, but I see you in bondage to that suffering as well. You are so caught in its cage that you wallow away in sadness."

"I..." choked Lenne, but she was unable to respond.

The truth was, that the suffering had built up for so long, that his falsity had become true. It was true for centuries, and she never realized it until he put it into words. She collapsed to the ground in tears. She tried to hide her reddened face from him, but he moved away her hands. Finding herself in his embrace, she was unable to deny herself the comfort he provided.

He whispered into her ear, "You know now what I'm talking about. It may have been Sin for the first thousand years, but it will be me for the second."

She heard his words, but they didn't register in her chaotic mind. Becoming Sin or some other sort of tyrant was what she already expected – the words themselves mattered not. She instead simply flung herself into his chest and sobbed. She cried her heart out, for the first time in a long, long time. Not holding back, she remained in his arms for a time, with him only caressing her head softly. His gentle strokes eventually comforted her down to a stable state, and she was able to speak again.

"What will you do with Vegnagun?" she muttered feebly.

He smiled, "I will conqueror this world. With me at the top, there will be no more battling, only I will be the dominate force in Spira. This world will be ours Lenne, just for you and me. I couldn't protect you before, but I will now – now and forever."

She looked up at him, pyreflies beginning to fly around him. He stepped back from her, his smile still penetrating her soul. She got up to follow, as if she was a lost puppy with no direction to lead herself. He shook his head.

"No, don't follow me yet. Soon we will be together. As much as it pains me...that time is not now."

She wiped the remaining tears from her face, clearing up her sight. Yet her mind was still in a daze. Shuyin vanished away into the depths of the Farplane. Lenne wondered where he was hiding Vegnagun. But the Farplane was a vast and unknown place – he could have been anywhere. A few straggling pyreflies twisted their paths around her. Memories of the past flooded into her mind. Emotions of herself being torn between her love and her people, images of the soldiers firing upon them in Bevelle – the swell had reached its peak and could no longer be contained. If anything could rid her of that tormenting pain, it would have to be herself. She couldn't let him destroy the world she so dearly held on to.

But all there was to do for the time being was to find Nhadala; she was probably worried sick about her. Lenne put back on her mask, and noticed she had returned to her normal clothing. She walked back into the temple. With a shuttering crash, the glimmering void which led to the Farplane closed. A decrepit stony walled replaced its space. Searching around, she found a small doorway. Following the tunnel which was beyond, she came to a ladder. She climbed up, and poked her head above to see what was there. In the distance somewhere at the other end of a corridor, she spotted Nhadala wandering.

"Nhadala!" she screamed, her echo filling the temple, "Nhadala! I'm over here!"

Gawking around, Nhadala could not find the owner of the voice. Eventually Lenne climbed up fully and started waving her arms in the air, catching Nhadala's eye. She ran down the corridor to her, with a terrified look on her face.

"W-where have you been? I've been so worried about you!" she huffed out exasperatedly.

"I, uh...fell, and have just been able to climb back up." Lenne replied, making sure not to mention any reason for her to go down there.

She nodded, relief glimpsing back into her expression, "Good, good. Are you sure you're not hurt?"

Lenne shook her head to Nhadala's satisfaction. The two made their break to leave the temple. Before they left, Nhadala showed Lenne what she stumbled upon while searching for her. Through a broken wall she discovered an old pedestal holding a sphere in it. The sphere itself barely glowed, declaring its frail and ancient condition. Nhadala's eyes glowed much brighter, however, as the thought of sphere hunting crept into her mind.

"If there's one of these in this rickety old temple, there must be more." she stated, while carefully freeing the sphere from its hole.

She decided that they should make a permanent camp at the temple until it could be properly excavated. Lenne worried that she may discover the tear into the Farplane, but knew there was nothing she could do about it. She hoped they would never come across it – not at least until she could confront Shuyin and stop his madness. Her love, she prayed, would be able to overcome the vengeance which swelled mercilessly in his heart.

Outside, the sun had all but set. The air was frigid, and Rhala and Gadrock were shaking uncontrollable watching their breath dissipate into the air. They and Pilot were worried sick about their boss and Lenne. Even with the freezing cold, they all refused to give in and abandoned them. Finally they heard the sound of movement, easily discernible in the cold stillness of the night's desert. Lenne crawled out of the tiny hole first, and helped Nhadala climb out after her.

The men ran over to see if they were hurt. To their delight and relief, they were not. Lenne shivered at the cold air. Nhadala didn't bother to notice, she was still enthralled by the sphere she was carrying. Gadrock suggested they hurry up and head back before they all froze to death. Once aboard Sally, they left for camp. Nhadala was busy trying to play the sphere, but to no avail.

"I don't understand, why can't I get it to turn on?" she wondered.

Lenne took a closer look at the sphere, "Well...perhaps it's too old."

"I hope not," she sighed unpleasantly, "you can't make money off of broken spheres."

Rhala laughed, "I thought we were searching for treasure, not junk."

Nhadala sneered at his joke. Gadrock couldn't help but laugh as well. He took a peek at the sphere, and hadn't a clue as to how to work it even if it was brand new. Nhadala snatched it hastily back from him, worried that he would end up breaking it. Everyone chuckled at her overprotective nature over a little ball.

Over the next three weeks, Nhadala had a separate encampment setup next to the temple for a complete excavation. To Lenne's luck, nobody went deep enough to discover the tear into the Farplane. During the course of those weeks, they found many more spheres, yet none of them would function. Nhadala was beyond puzzled. She couldn't determine whether they were all too far gone because of age, or maybe it was something else which caused their dysfunction. She had all her so called local experts working on a solution – none of which uncovered one.

"I just don't get it," she mumbled in frustration to herself, "these things last a long time, shouldn't they?"

Lenne smiled under her mask, "Well, I suppose some do and some don't. But it's really odd that all these spheres no longer work."

Rhala cracked a laugh, "Ah well, it was a good waste of time. So what are we going to do now?"

"Don't count this over yet," snapped Nhadala, "I still have a few other people I need to take a look at these."

"Huh? Who are they?"

She smiled intently at him, "The Gullwings!"

* * *

_**Next chapter:** It's high time we revisited our friends (no, I didn't forget about them). Certainly life has been just as interesting for them, if not more so. It's been a month since Yuna died, and they've hoped to have at least a quiet recuperation in Besaid. However, in the middle of night, Rikku gets a surprise visit from Gippal of all people. What plans does he have for her? And yes, she'll get some much deserved RikkuGippal action too!_


	37. Chapter 37 – Soliloquies

**Chapter 37 - Soliloquies**

The falling sunlight sparkled off the blue sea waves. A gentle breeze set easy the woes of life. Under a blossoming tree rested Paine and Rikku, shaded from the hardships they had just been through. It was only a few days ago did their closest friend die by her own hands. Since then, they had not the chance nor the energy to exert on grief. The pandemonium between Kinoc's attack of Bevelle and the grand funeral left no time to think about what happened, let alone act upon it. Instead, they had to kick themselves into autopilot and just cut through the waves of pain and anguish.

Still, when Kinoc was trying to kill them, they didn't have to quell over the fact Yuna was gone, and would never return. The Gullwings were devastated to the core. They hadn't the will to even consider sphere hunting – not at least for a long while. There was no point in forcing themselves to a practice which would remind them of their lost companion every second. They had to grieve. Also the circumstance weighed ill on the inhabitants of the tiny island as well. Those closest to Yuna, being Wakka and Lulu, were in a state of perpetual discrepancy. Wakka was able to function somewhat, even if his mood was solemn. Lulu was far worse. For the first few days after, she was a basket case.

They all were hurt, and all individually as well as collectively had to get beyond their sorrow. If only on that tiny island, some peace had befallen on Spira. Rikku, still sitting under the palm tree, wondered if Yuna truly had banished herself from Spira, in both body and soul. Perhaps Maechen was mistaken, but she'd never want to find out. She certainly didn't believe in visiting the Farplane in Guadosalam before, and she wasn't going to go now. Paine was standing beside her, gazing sadly into the clear horizon. The waves lapped cautiously over the beachy sand. Peeking back at Rikku, who was staring at her feet, she was unsure of how to move forward. For Yuna's sake she knew she must. Not just her, however, but all of the Gullwings – and even Wakka and Lulu. Truthfully, she would wish for all of Spira to continue forward. But they would have to do that on their own terms.

Spira had time for such an act. With Kinoc finally dead and gone, Spira could rest a little easier. The great threat to them was abolished. Most knew not of Shuyin or Vegnagun. This secret was held by only a very few people. And their unknowingly similar consensus was to be silent over it, preventing a mass spread of fear and panic. The only chaos still raging was the feud between New Yevon and the Youth League. Mysteriously their leaders all vanished from their posts, and left their administrations empty of a direction. Because of this, the groups sought for domination of Spira's rocky political climate.

"You know Rikku..." wondered Paine out loud, "where could they be?"

Rikku shot her a curious look, "Huh? Who do you mean?"

"The leaders of Spira's factions. Gippal, Nooj, Baralai...what do you think happened to them?"

"I wish I knew. We haven't seen them for I guess a while...not since the time we went underneath the temple." she shrugged, sadly thinking of Gippal.

Rikku often pondered the same thought as Paine spoke of. The leaders had been gone for a long time. Baralai and Nooj disappeared when she hurt herself down in the underground installation below the temple. More pertinent to her was Gippal, whom she hadn't seen nor heard from since he vanished without a trace from Djose. That night, he had kissed her on the bridge. She still remembered the soft touch of his lips against hers. The sweet smell of his breath tickled her neck as they stood so close together. Then he went missing the morning after, and that was the last she saw of him.

Sighing to herself, her mood was a continuous emotional state of melancholy. It was perplexing to realize that so many of those she loved and cherished had left her – all after Sin. Thinking back, she always feared it would be Sin that took those she adored. Whether it was Yuna's final summoning, or Sin's grasp over Cid's airship, she would never have thought that so much pain would wallow in her after they defeated what was to be Spira's ultimate punishment.

And such were the same feelings held by Lulu, who still sobbed in her sleep from Yuna's passing. She still wished to know what could have possibly driven Yuna to kill herself. She was just a delightful and cheery young woman. From their last talk, when Yuna and her walked along the way to the beach front, she understood the pressures that she felt. So many things were uncertain, and the loss of Tidus didn't help her at all. Still, these things were also thundering down on her when they struggled against Sin – even worse Lulu believed. Then doubt crept in her thoughts. Maybe, she began to think, Yuna was silently facing something more dark. It would at least explain why she committed her own murder. But logic held no weight in her torn emotions.

Not least effected by all this was Wakka. He had to be strong for his wife, but even he couldn't just grit his teeth in the face of this paramount of tragedy. He, too, remembered playing with the little newcomer to Besaid those many years ago. Always he felt compelled to take on the role of a big brother, just as his wife the role of a big sister. Together with Lulu he tried his best to sooth his own wounds as well as hers. To neither it was easy, but for the sake of Yuna, they would persevere.

It was nearly night, and the local inhabitants readied themselves for slumber. The air was cool – similar to the night Lulu last talked with Yuna. She walked outside, rubbing her bulging stomach smoothly. What damaged her the most was knowing her little baby would never meet Yuna. For years, long before she was even pregnant or married, she wished for her child to be enchanted by Yuna. If she effected her baby as great as she did her, then Lulu wished for nothing less.

She stared coldly into the night's sky. A few stars twinkled, and the moon shone down its pure light onto the land and lives below. She sighed, and merely stood quietly in front of her hovel. Wakka's footsteps followed her out.

Putting his arm around her, he spoke, "Hey Lu, it's getting late. You need to get your rest for the little guy, ya."

She looked at him, then rubbed her face against his rough skin, "I know. I just needed a moment of fresh air."

"You still takin' this real hard."

"I can't help it!" she growled, raising her voice, "How can you?"

He only looked sadly into the distance. Lulu sighed again, this time deeper, regretting her words. Both of them knew the other was just as broken as they. Lulu could put it into words better, but Wakka showed it just the same. He may never had grace, but no grace was needed to show this deep, penetrating sorrow. The two held each other for a while outside. All was quiet save for the lull chirping of crickets.

Paine was also in the company of night, as she was sitting underneath the gigantic machina relic which monumented itself on the island. She gazed with mystery at it, and was reminded of the past. Not her past, but the ancient past. She remembered Yuna talking about Lenne, the summoner of a thousand years ago who battled for Bevelle. She also thought about what Maechen had spoken about her during Yuna's funeral. If what he said was accurate, then the two were immensely similar. Unfortunately that similarity now extended to death.

The ocean waves made a low crash against the rocky walls below her. The sky was perfectly clear. She followed the lines of shadow and light, feeling as though the light had passed her on. A trio of tiny birds emerged from a tree, attracting her attention for a moment. She smiled, remembering the three of them flying around on all sorts of wild adventures. She slumped herself horizontally on the large rock she was resting on. Staring up, she wondered who would make such a colossal and majestic machine for destruction. It was these silly wars that killed Lenne so many centuries ago. And it was the same empty and pointless struggles that drove a stake into the heart of Spira. It was that stake that eventually pierced Yuna.

Turning her head to face the vast ocean, she wondered what everyone would do. No one was sure of anything. Perhaps they would go back to sphere hunting, or perhaps they would all disband and go their separate ways. Even in the grasp of this horrid time, she believed they couldn't break up – not after they became so close. She hinted a smile, thinking back to all the fun they had together. Whatever might happen, she wanted to keep going, and keep doing the adventures they did with Yuna. Otherwise, she believed, it would be such a waste of a talented sphere hunting crew.

Rikku blew out the candle, dimming the light into her room to that of only the moon's which seeped through the windows. She sat on her bed, itching her head a little. There was nobody else in the small hovel. Unlike the last time, she didn't have to sleep on the floor. After Yuna's incident with Beclem and her near-death experience inside the temple, he ordered all his men gone. Only he stayed to train the Aurochs. A windy breeze swirled up momentarily, shuttering at the windows. Rikku darted her eyes to them, but quickly went back to her thoughts.

Collapsing onto the bed, she blew out some air from her lips and stared blankly at the ceiling. As the curtains flowed, the shadows did an intricate dance above her. She moved her hand to her face and rubbed her eyes. Again, as she had the night before, she tried to make sense of everything that had happened. It was no more than a week ago, she knew, that her cousin was right next to her. Already it seemed like an eternity passed since Yuna died. The emptiness left in her wake was beginning to grow. She listened in her mind for her voice. To hear it again, even if it was imaginary, was a great sensation.

Yet the sensation would never be a worthy substitute for the real, living Yuna. The twinkle of her green and blue eyes had always held the magic of silent strength. From Sin and beyond she had seen it in action. Now that, too, was gone, and could not be replaced – not to Rikku. She leaned her head on her arm, and began to think of what the Gullwings would do now. It was no secret or surprise that this sudden tragedy had them devastated. Rikku wondered if they would stick together. The heart of the group was at rock bottom, and no one at the time being felt like sphere hunting. Brother, in one of his finest moments, suggested they stay at Besaid until they were able to make a sensible and clear-headed decision.

She had talked to her brother earlier that day. He was in the same exact mood as she – numb. Buddy wasn't much better; Shinra just felt overwhelmed. Shinra said that he still wanted to hunt spheres. Buddy wasn't as sure, although he didn't want to break from the group if nobody else was. Rikku sighed, not sure herself what she would do. Her brother and Buddy were one thing to be apart from, but Paine was another. The two had gotten closer in recent times, both in attempting to help Yuna, and after her death. Paine had been trying her best to take care of her like Yuna would. Although it was not the same, she still felt a glimmer of the heartfelt love she shared with her cousin.

If things did break up, she at least wanted to go with Paine. She knew Paine wouldn't quit sphere hunting. Nevertheless, a duo act still made Rikku sick. She thought back to all the times she should have acted different. Even if she did just the slightest thing differently, she believed, she might have been able to save Yuna. No matter what Paine or anyone else said, she would forever feel guilty for Yuna's suicide. It was the last words she spoke, or rather yelled, to her cousin that would remain hauntingly transfixed in her skull, _"__This is you problem Yuna! This is your problem! Why can't you let go...all you're doing is driving us mad! You're so stupid! I hate you!"_

In her bratty fit, she committed a greater sin that she would ever had imagined herself possible of. She could never have comprehended how she could condemn the most important person in her life. It was these damning words that echoed tormentingly inside her dreams at night. When Yuna was at her lowest, she failed to carry her. Rather, she just dumped her like a forgotten dog on its last leg. She cringed and covered her ears as if it would block the pain. She began to cry, and eventually sobbed herself to sleep.

She felt something nudging at her side. At first her mind didn't click in, and from her sleep she didn't wake. Then the nudge became harder, and she jolted up in bed. There was no dream happening; whatever was touching her was real. To her right beside the bed was a silhouette of a tall figure. It was leaning down with its arm extended to hers. She nearly screamed, but another hand covered her mouth, muffling her cries.

"Shh..." a soothing voice whispered, "don't freak out like that."

She instantly recognized that voice – it was Gippal, "Gippal? I-is that you?"

He nodded, and backed up into the moonlight, "You betcha it is. What's up Rikku?"

"You're still alive. I thought something awful had happened to you."

He chuckled, "Yeah? Well, nothing happened. Me and Nooj have been running around like nuts across Spira."

"Nooj is with you?"

"Yep, ol' stone cold and me have been chasing after Shuyin."

She hopped out of bed, "Did you find Vegnagun?"

"Hold on, hold on!" he smiled, waving his hands at her, "Look, I need to know if you'll come with us."

"C-come with you? To where?"

"I tell you when we get outta here. I don't have much time. Are you coming or not?"

She paused for a moment, thinking of her friends, "Well...but what should I do about Paine and my brother. I...can't just up and leave."

Gippal sighed, "Alright...uh, here...take this and write them a note."

She nodded and wrote a short note, and laid it on the table next to the bed. Gippal smiled and flicked her a thumbs up. They proceeded to sneak out of the hovel and run into the shadows of the woods. Rikku wasn't sure why they had to be so secretive – a hundred thoughts were rushing through her head. Finally they came to a small boat at the dock. A pair of tracks were entrenched in the sand behind them as the two rode off at sea.

"W-where are we going?" asked Rikku urgently.

"Don't worry girl, we're gonna meet up with Nooj in Kilika. Then we go for Shuyin!"

The dawn of the next morning began to rise from the island's low horizon. The water of the ocean sparkled under its hazy light. Paine was awakened by it, and yawned loudly. She rubbed her eyes and methodically got out of bed. She shook her head and yawned once more. After washing, she went over to Rikku's hovel and wanted to scare her. She thought a little deviance would do them some good. Instead, it was she that was surprised. Rikku was no where in sight. She looked around frantically, and even called out her name. On the table next to the bed, she found Rikku's note.

_Don't wait for me Gullwings. I'll be gone for a little bit, but don't think I'm abandoning you. Sorry to leave so fast, but I had to. I'll explain when I come back. _

_Sorry guys..._

_Rikku._

* * *

_**Next chapter**: Gippal whisks Rikku away mysteriously in the middle of the night, and she wants to know why. She finds out, but she doesn't know if she's prepared for the hysteria that will follow._


	38. Chapter 38 – Shadows Behind the Curtain

**Chapter 38 – Shadows Behind the Curtain**

Bustling feet traipsed along the dockside. Numerous people were already preparing their ships to sail. From tiny fishing rafts to large freighters carrying goods destined for the greater parts of Spira, Kilika existed in a more robust state than it did just two years ago. Back then, the townspeople were devastated by Sin. Most of the seafront city was demolished at the hands of Sin – their homes and businesses torn to shreds. Fear ran rampant back in those days. Knowing that life grasped onto what seemed to be a very thin string, the townspeople held on to whatever they had to cherish. That fear did not deter them from rebuilding, as the Kilika that existed currently in Spira was grander than the one of before.

But the old torrents from before still lingered in the town. It manifested itself into a different, yet equally abrasive form. Ever since Sin's destruction, Spira had fractured into numerous political factions. Each held their own set of beliefs. And as anything both public and political, a great tension formed between the many groups. No place in Spira better displayed this friction than Kilika. For months, New Yevon and the Youth League had been dividing their territories here, and entrenching themselves in for a long conflict. Such clunky squabbles had been tearing the town apart from the inside. Neighbors, who were once close friends, now argued constantly over their ideals.

This tension was somewhat quelled by the Gullwings before. Through their heroic and selfless battle in the temple to save Kilika from an invasion of fiends, the townspeople put aside their differences for a while. And again, although in a much more tragic way, because of Yuna's death did the citizens of Kilika come together as a whole. Yet neither events could completely diminish the split. New Yevon distrusted the Youth League, and the Youth League distrusted New Yevon. This feeling of suspect spilled into the heart of the populous, and continued the separation. Yuna once told Rikku that this was apparent in a microcosm, although that was a big word for Rikku, she partially understood the explanation.

Dona and Barthello, whom belonged separately to each of the groups, let their differences in opinion estranged them from one another. While it was easily seen that they cared for each other immensely, they remained at arms length merely for what amounted to petty differences in ideas.

Rikku's eyes began to twitch as the early morning sunlight beamed down upon the small boat she was riding on. Peeking her right eye open, she blurrily examined her surroundings. Another boat passed by them, and she noticed a dock close by. She sat up, and yawned.

"Hey kid, you finally awake?" Gippal suavely asked.

Rikku turned to look at him while rubbing her sleepy eyes, "Huh...yeah."

He chuckled, "Heh, you went out like a light last night. You better hurry and wake up. Nooj will be waiting for us...impatiently probably."

Rikku glanced back at the docks, and spotted a man wearing a large mask in the distance, standing with arms folded and tapping his foot. She couldn't miss his stern yet cool expression, although she wondered over his Al Bhed impersonation.

"Is that Nooj? What's with the funky getup?" she asked Gippal, who was also putting on a mask.

"Simple kid, we have to remain anonymous."

She laughed to herself, and was content to be a little confused. Perhaps now that Nooj was here, she could get some answers, at least to her question as to what they needed her for. Still, interested in the back of her head was the question pertaining to her and Gippal. The last they met, she ended up locking lips with him, with a mutual confession of love. Then he vanished from the camp at Djose, and she hadn't seen him since until last night. For that long stretch of time, she wondered what could become of the two.

Even though she had ample time, in private no less, while on the boat, she embarrassedly remembered fading off to sleep shortly after snaking away. However, she figured things would fall into place when they would. At least, she giggled in her head, they would be close together.

The day quickly became dank, as the sky clouded up not long after sunrise. The gray skyline did little to put a romantic spin on their mission, or Rikku's mood. She always felt uneasy about these ominous days. Threat of rain, along with a bleak horizon, was cold on her heart. They reminded her of Yuna, and the day she died.

"Hey, over here man!" shouted Gippal across the docks.

Nooj caught his call, and nodded. He followed them over to a pier on the left side of Kilika. Gippal hopped off first, and helped Rikku get off. She gratefully held his head as he helped her up. She smiled at his wink. He quickly put on his serious face as Nooj neared. He was limping over with stride; his expression as concise and grim as to be expected of him.

"I see you've found somebody who can help us." he spoke approvingly.

"Yeah, well, I grabbed her in the middle of the night. Nobody noticed us, so we're good to go."

Nooj nodded, "Good. That last thing we need is more trouble, even if that's a near-impossible task to do with you around."

"Hey, I didn't goof this time." smiled Gippal, rubbing the back of his head.

Rikku waved her hand in the air, "Hey! Hey! Can someone please explain to me what's going on now?"

"You mean Gippal didn't tell you anything yet?"

Gippal shook his head, "Uh well, she fell asleep right after we ran out. I can't help that."

"Well, no matter," Nooj shrugged, looking disapprovingly at him, "I'll explain everything to you. The situation is vital to Spira's future."

Nooj led them to a small building in Kilika's north end. To keep their privacy, the three went to a private room at the top of it. The two men took off their masks. Gippal knelt down at a chest and took out a drink. Nooj carefully sat down, and cleared his throat.

"There's a lot happening behind the scenes," he began as cheerlessly as he looked, "a lot more than just the chaos which recently transpired."

Rikku sat, actually listening intently to Nooj, "Gotcha. So don't hold out on me, what is it?"

Nooj sighed, sitting back in his chair to stare out the window, "Hmm...where to begin. As you know, Kinoc just tried to take over Spira."

"Yeah, but we stopped him."

"Right, but there was more to it than just that..."

_Kinoc had been brooding in the basement of Bevelle's temple for some time – or rather his unsent spirit was. He was stuck down there until Shuyin showed up. I don't know how much you know about him, but he was the lover of a summoner from Zanarkand. A thousand years ago, she went to battle against Bevelle. Because he loved her so much, he risked his life to infiltrate Bevelle._

_It was there he planned to capture their secret weapon - Vegnagun. Unlike most convention weapons, Vegnagun was to be an annihilator of cities. Such mass destruction scared those even in Bevelle. Not even the Al Bhed dared to create a beast such as Vegnagun. Yet this was to be their equalizer, as the fear felt by Bevelle was great. What they did not realize was this weapon could not tell friend from enemy. In his attempt to commandeer the weapon, both he and his lover were killed._

_Of course, the two were never sent. The temple imprisoned Shuyin's soul someplace near Djose and Mi'hen. A place Gippal and I know all to well. Over the millennium, he conjured the notion to exact his revenge on Spira. Scornful of how he was eternally separated from his love, his hatred has led him to again desire Vegnagun._

_He's been using the dark side of people's hearts for centuries now to get what he wants. The madness his memories have created seeps into the souls of the living, and weaves for them a waking hell. For a long time, he stole my body and mind. Now he is in Baralai. That's why Baralai betrayed us...that's why I shot at my friends..._

Rikku just stared with a dumbfounded expression at Nooj. She could hardly believe what he was telling her. So unreal were his words that she was blown away by them. If she knew it wasn't true, she probably wouldn't believe him.

"So...tell me something," she quivered to ask, "what happened to the summoner, Lenne?"

"Lenne you say? Was that her name?" questioned Gippal perplexedly.

Nooj added with his own confusion as to her knowledge, "How do you know her name?"

Rikku pondered to herself for a moment, "Well, hmm...I guess it was a long while ago. Not too far from here we went to a tiny island. Ya know, for sphere hunting. The sphere we found had something about a man shouting the name 'Lenne.' We eventually connected the man to her lover, and the woman as Lenne. You really ought to talk with Maechen."

"I guess so, since you know about as much as we know." Gippal laughed, rubbing Rikku's head.

Nooj nodded, although not with the same enthusiasm as Gippal, "Maybe speaking with the old man would do us some good. We've been away from the general populous of Spira for so long...perhaps we should discuss it with Yuna as well."

Rikku's face turned pale immediately from his remark. She looked down, and a glossy tear formed around her eye. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking they mustn't have heard that Yuna died. She had to explain to them the horrible truth.

"You...you must have been away for a long time, huh?" she asked solemnly.

Gippal raised his brow, caught by Rikku's instantaneous change of mood, "Hey, what's the matter Rikku?"

"Yuna's dead. She died not very long ago."

"What?" the men yelled in tandem.

"H-how...when? I can't believe this?" Gippal ranted, completely struck by Rikku's statement.

"There had been a lot of stress going on in her life. Plus the fact that Kinoc was trying to maul us around every corner. She...she killed herself."

Nooj slumped back into his chair. Even for his usual sulky expression, his state of horror mixed with surprise was paramount. Gippal's jaw dropped, and he couldn't even find words for the news.

Finally he spoke softly, "Man...and I remember the last time we saw her."

"I told her...to take care of things topside." Nooj sighed, rubbing his eyes rigidly.

"We needed Yuna and you guys to hold off Kinoc," began to explain Gippal, with a tone of apology embedded within his words, "we we're chasing Shuyin through the Farplane. I...I'd never imagine..."

"I know...but, but we can't let it eat us up." eased Rikku, showing that she was not blaming anyone.

"Those are some strong words, Rikku." gestured Nooj approvingly.

Rikku hinted a sad smile, "Yeah. Without her around, I have to be strong on my own."

Nooj nodded and even cracked a tiny smile of his own. Gippal looked at her, a bit awestruck in his own right from her newfound strength. He then smiled and winked at her, while patting her on the back. The three resumed their discussion on matters pertaining to Shuyin and Vegnagun.

"For everyone's sake, we must defeat Shuyin." stated Nooj firmly.

Gippal finished off his drink, "Yeah...he's liable to strike anytime soon."

"What's he waiting for?" pondered Rikku out loud.

"That's a good question we've asked ourselves." grinned Gippal.

Nooj continued, "In the beginning, he had to work his way to Bevelle and hijack Baralai. We then learned that Vegnagun required some repairs to function as a weapon again."

"So we have to get him before he finishes all that." growled Rikku, smacking her fist onto the table.

"Well girl," Gippal said hesitantly, "that was a while ago. Remember we have been gone a bit. For all we know, he's done all that."

"In fact, we ourselves are surprised he hasn't attacked yet. There must be something else he's waiting for. We just don't know what..."

Rikku shook her head, "But why get me, and not talk to all the Gullwings about all this?"

"Oh yeah, that matter," laughed Gippal, rubbing the back of his neck, "We are trying to keep our cover. You've seen the problems dividing Spira."

"You better believe I have! Why haven't you tried to fix them? You're their leaders!" she shouted angrily at them.

Gippal was about to talk, but Nooj raised his hand, "Spira has to figure things out by itself. Leaders can't solve the differences between people – only people can do that."

Rikku looked shockingly at Nooj, while Gippal snickered at her appearance, "Yeah, Nooj surprised me too the first time he said that. But I have to say...he's right."

Nooj closed his eyes behind his tinted glasses, "The larger concern with Spira is Vegnagun. We as leaders can do Spira a greater service by protecting it from those that wish to slay it."

"So am I to be your pack mule then?" brazenly huffed Rikku.

Nooj shook his head, "No, not a pack mule, but a packman...or packwoman rather."

Anticipating Rikku's confusion, Gippal defined her role more throughly, "Your gonna act as a peddler. We have a connection to give us the last sphere in Bevelle."

"Last sphere? What are you talking about?"

"Let me explain this before you further confuse her." grumbled Nooj to his partner.

Nooj continued to tell Rikku of the Crimson Spheres. Those were the keys to unlock what he called the Den of Woe – the place the Crimson Squad was massacred by Shuyin's insanity incarnate. Nooj believed there would be clues there as to how to stop Shuyin. Surly, he thought, after a thousand years of captivity, there would be something of use to discover.

The reason they needed someone from the Gullwings was because of who they were dealing with. It was the Gullwing's old friend LeBlanc. Rikku tried to explain that the words "friends" and "LeBlanc" were a little strong for one another, but the two men differed in opinion. LeBlanc agreed to give them the final Crimson Sphere she found, but only to someone she could trust. Business was business to her. From her incessant rantings about the Gullwings, Nooj came to the conclusion that they were reputable enough for her.

The plan was to disguise Rikku as a peddler. She would make the trade with LeBlanc in Bevelle. Although that was fine with her, she didn't understand the need to be so discreet. Nooj answered her by revealing the other reason they kept themselves low key. Bevelle had sent out several task forces to investigate the missing Vegnagun, as well as the loss of their leader, Baralai.

These teams wanted Nooj and Gippal – and in a bad way. Neither of the men had trusted Yevon before, and weren't about to try their luck with them now. The Yevonites had been following them throughout Spira. Finally they ditched them before heading to Besaid. If they were going to go to Bevelle to make this trade, they would have to go in hidden from sight.

The next morning they would set off for Bevelle. There was no airships to hoist them away; they would have to go on foot. Rikku was reminded of her pilgrimage with Yuna. It would be a good way to see the progress and regress of Spira in all its places. That night, Rikku and Gippal walked alongside the docks. It was late at night, and all the lights in Kilika were unlit. With only the peaceful waves of calm waters as their witness, the two held hands.

"You've changed since I last saw you." complemented Gippal, his smile partially lit by the half-moon.

"I suppose in some ways I have," she sighed, "and real fast."

"You and Yuna were close, huh?"

She looked up at him sadly and nodded, "Yeah we were. I've been trying to stop, but memories of her and me just pop into my head all the time."

"Don't worry about it so much kid. All this just rammed itself down your throat not too long ago. Mourning takes time...more time than we'd like to offer it. It's best for you to just go one step at a time." he comforted, glimmering his gorgeous green eyes into Rikku's.

She, too, was surprised at how much more mature Gippal had become. Back at Home years ago, she could remember his carefree and reckless attitude. The man holding her hand now, while still retaining much of that goofiness, was more thoughtful and mature. She could only hope that Brother would someday grow up to be like him.

"I guess we've both had our fair share of eye openers on our adventures." she laughed meekly.

He agreed in a muddled tone, "Yeah we have. Going around Spira and seeing all that's exists behind the curtain. Some days, it's just so crazy. And me and Nooj haven't been through half of what you and the Gullwings have."

"But we can't let that hold us in a cage. I promised myself that I wouldn't falter in the hard times. I do that for Yunie." she stated, her voice rising in strength.

Gippal continued to be amazed at her determination. He wondered since he was young whether Cid's daughter would turn out to be anything. And certainly she was answering his question. Without warning, he picked her up and plopped her on one of the dock's posts. She found herself looking straight into his eyes, they staring merely inches apart. She blushed in the tranquil moonlight. Soon their lips locked, and the two shared a passionate kiss.

She enjoyed the soft touch of his hand caressing her face. Although he needed to smooth his face some, the mere fact that they were skin to skin entranced her. For the long gap between their meetings, she yearned for his skin. It seemed as often as she could remember did she wonder if she would ever see him again. But the time apart was gone. Gippal was in front of her, his breath intimate with hers.

They continued to kiss, with passion ever increasing. Now Gippal's other hand was fondling gently the back of her head, pushing her lips ever tighter into his. Their tongues swished gracefully about around each other's. Rikku was in heaven, and didn't feel like leaving. However, they were abruptly interrupted by passing footsteps. Gippal quickly darted to her side, and threw his arms behind his head in an attempt to act cool. Rikku sighed, still sitting up on the post. A man walked by uneventfully.

Gippal chuckled after the man passed, "Lousy bum getting' in the way of our fun."

Rikku only looked at Gippal and stayed silent. Her lips still tingled from the interaction. She could still feel his fingers carefully mingling with her hair. It was the sensations she had before, but even better. She wanted more, but got nothing.

"Time for bed kid. We gotta go early tomorrow." was what she instead received from Gippal's mouth.

While she was angry and disappointed inside, she didn't grumble. Hopping off the post, the two walked back. She immediately clinged to his hand, and smiled wildly at him. For once, she saw a slight blush on his cheeks under the moonlight. While it was ephemeral, it was this kind of love that made her feel better inside.

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Off to the trail of Spira they embark. While Rikku may not be on a pilgrimage, she'll be visiting many of the stops she and Yuna ventured to before. It's a long journey, and they also have to worry about dodging Bevelle's forces all the while._


	39. Chapter 39 – On the Road Again

**Chapter 39 – On the Road Again**

The long, dusty road seemed perilously desolate as Rikku walked down it. The stretch of the Djose Highroad, especially at the very crack of dawn, reminded her of the grim day the Crusaders attempted to destroy Sin. After only a mere two years or so, the Road had become very quiet. Much unlike it was during when the road was patrolled by rumbling machina, and bodies were torn to shreds because of the failed Operation Mi'hen. Remnants of that day could still be seen – small artifacts of debris littered the sand and water. A few birds flew overhead, the sound of their calls filled what seemed like such an empty void around her.

Gippal and Nooj didn't seem to bothered by the murky surroundings, as they were focused on one thing – arriving in Bevelle. Their destination, and the sphere at it, was their only concern. Rikku understood this, and she also understood these places didn't hold the same symbolism to them as they did for her. Each locale held some memory of Yuna's pilgrimage, or their adventures as sphere hunters. It was painful to look around, and seeing Yuna's footsteps in the ground beyond her. She never denied these memories, however, as she wandered along. No matter how deterring they might seem, nothing could be worse than forgetting.

She laughed to herself a little, thinking back to just a few days ago. She was in Besaid. Now she found herself marching in Mushroom Rock. From Kilika the prior day, they sailed to Luca. They had a near run-in with a pair of Bevelle soldiers. Nooj, rightfully paranoid, detoured them at the last second. Although their plan was to pass right through Luca, they ended up staying an entire day to advert the Yevonites.

In Luca, Rikku got to enjoy a great blitzball game. It was still preseason, but the crowd was large and noisy. It was the Luca Goers versus the Kilika Beasts. Being that it was two local teams going head-to-head, the fans were all raving at the top of their lungs. Nooj thought it was a bad idea to be in public, but Rikku's persistent whining eventually won out. Gippal, although adamant against it on the outside, didn't mind watching some blitzball for a change of pace.

As she sipped on her drink, she remembered the story Lulu told her about the Al Bhed kidnapping Yuna during the game the Aurochs battled the Psyches. A lot of crazy things must have happened to her in Luca. The stadium was an incredible sight unto itself. When Lulu told her much of it was damaged by fiends, she couldn't believe it. It all made her wish she was with her cousin earlier in her trek.

In the approaching dusk, she walked to where Yuna told her Tidus taught her how to whistle. While at the time she didn't understand why this meant so much to Yuna, she now understood with clarity. The littlest of memories in the midst of life can be the ones most important – especially the ones never realized to be so. For this fact, was why she promised herself she'd never forget the most precious or most painful memories she shared with Yuna.

During the early shade of night they embarked down the Mi'hen Highroad. There they encountered an unsightly bunch of fiends. While most of the area was normally well prepared, it seemed Rin had been having difficulties with his machina as of late. The machines that typically would protect travelers had run amok, and many of which were taken off-line. Rin was away after Yuna's funeral, and only arrived back to Mi'hen earlier that day. Gippal had messaged him prior to their arrival. Rin had rooms already setup for them.

"Welcome Gippal. I never took you to be a night crawler." he joked, shaking Gippal's hand.

"Heh, yeah. Thanks for putting us up at such a late hour."

Rin waved his hand, "My pleasure. It's nice to see some warm faces again. The days prior have been quite dismal."

Rikku knew he was talking about Yuna's funeral, which seemed in the distant past. Rin's mentioning of it brought it back inside her head; she realized it wasn't that long ago at all. Walking up to her, Rin extended his hand to her.

"Hello Rikku, nice to see you again. I'm surprised to see you off on an adventure again so soon." he smiled in a curious manner.

Rikku flickered her eyebrows to display some of her own surprise, "These things happen out of the blue, ya know."

He nodded, and finally got to greeting Nooj. The two men shook hands firmly. Rikku wondered how Nooj would react to Rin, but she was pleasantly surprised to see they had mutual respect for one another. Gippal wasn't joking when he apologized for coming late. It was already past midnight when they arrived at the Travel Agency. Gippal and Nooj were ready to hit the sack. They were tired from Rikku's escapade all over Luca. Rikku, per her personality, still had a little burst of energy left in her. She began to talk with Rin.

"Thanks for coming to Yuna's funeral. It meant a lot to me and Paine that you came."

He nodded, "Of course. Lady Yuna has done so much for Spira, and even me. It would be wrong of me not to have attended."

She sighed, "Yeah, well...what will you do now. I think your machina are busted."

"Oh, that matter," he smiled hesitantly, remembering himself of that notification, "I will have to investigate the cause of their disruption. Such sporadic behavior doesn't happen without a cause."

"Guess you need a mechanic." she giggled.

He laughed as well to her crack, and glad to see she was still the same Rikku inside, "But with bad also has come good. After the funeral, I went to Bikanel."

"What was there to go to?" she asked, scratching her head.

"Ancient coins of course," he smiled big, with gil in his eyes, "to use in my new game, Sphere Break. They sell quite well to those who are enthusiastic about it."

She nodded slowly, not sure what to make of him at the moment, "Huh, I see."

"Although also most interesting, was when I was there...I met a girl who seemed very much like Lady Yuna." he spoke with a more serious tone, while rubbing his chin.

"I don't understand...like her how?"

He paused for a moment to collect his words, "Hmm...she seemed very cautious of herself. Yet, somehow she is always able to move forward. Maybe I'm not making any sense to you."

Rikku only looked at him in puzzlement. She understood what he was getting at, but wasn't sure of his examination of this person. Sure, that described Yuna in a way, but it wasn't fully her. Then again, trying to put her knowledge of Yuna against Rin's wasn't fair. Rin apologized for keeping her with his rambling, and showed her to her room. Being a true patron, he gave her a private room. Not that Rikku was one for dirty thoughts, but Rin had thought it was preferable. She did too, as she knew Gippal snored. The quietness of her room was completely different from the noisy streets of Luca. A little peace was nice to her.

That peace only lasted for a few hours, as she was abruptly waken from sleep. By her side shook Gippal. She cracked open her sleepy eyes, still not quite half way conscious. He shook her some more and ripped the sheets from her bed.

"Come on, we gotta go," announce Gippal suddenly, "soldiers from Bevelle are coming."

She looked at him with one eye open as he blasted on the lights, "Huh...uh...what time is it..."

"Time to go to prison if you don't hurry up. Nooj is already waiting to leave."

She nodded and stumbled out of bed. Rin was standing at the end of the hallway. He had a backpack in his hand.

"Here, take this," he offered, "it is food and medicine for your long journey."

Rikku took it from him, "Uh, thanks. But why..."

He interrupted her, "My machina might still be dysfunctional, but my security cameras are not. I've spotted a group of soldiers coming up the road. Nooj says they're searching for you."

"You've got to be kidding me...at this hour?" Rikku pouted angrily.

"Sorry kid, that's life." cracked Gippal in this time of distress.

Gippal grabbed a hold of Rikku's arm and drug her along with him. Nooj was waiting anxiously at the doorway. Rin had a trio of chocobos waiting for them. After strapping up, they were ready to leave posthaste.

"I'll stall the guard here for you." calmed Rin.

Gippal waved to him as they rode off, "Hey, thanks a lot man. I owe you one!"

"Just remember to leave my chocobo before you enter Mushroom Rock!"

Since then, they found themselves traipsing down the Mushroom Rock Road and now the Djose Highroad. Rikku would rather they bypassed the bleak road, or at least payed for a transport, but it was too early in the morning for that. As they drudged along, they soon arrived at the crossroads. One way lead to Djose Temple, and the other to the Moonflow. The obvious choice was to go to the Moonflow, and on their way to Guadosalam.

Rikku was less than happy to see the Moonflow again. She knew this was where Kinoc had deceived Yuna through a Fayth. Although how he did will always remain sketchy, she could remember Kinoc's boast. Whatever he did, he made Yuna believe Tidus could be brought back by some whim. Rikku could only but imagine the stake thrust into her heart when that whim was rescinded.

But all about the Moonflow remained the same. The tranquil atmosphere, along with the clear blue sky, gave off a warm and fuzzy feeling. A couple of pyreflies swirled around the river's edge. No simulacrum of Yuna's hardship cold be witnessed on the surface. But shouts from behind them could. Rikku darted her head around just in time to see a squad of soldiers yelling at them.

"Damn, they found us!" hollered Gippal.

"Come on! We need to get to the shoopuf station!" order Nooj, who limped on as fast as his legs could take him.

The three sprinted down the path through the Moonflow, their pursuers not trailing far them. One of them fired a shot, and the people around ducked for cover. The ricochet blasted a chunk out of a bench the three just ran by, nearly hitting an innocent bystander.

"Are they out of their minds," growled Rikku, "they could kill somebody!"

Gippal answered loudly, "I think that's their point!"

Rikku wouldn't let herself be captured by Bevelle. There was no kind Baralai to help her this time. She twisted herself around and chucked a gray grenade at the soldiers. They slowed their advance and actually leaped out of its way. Instead of the explosion they expected, a stream of thick gas spurted from it. As they hurried away, they could hear a multitude of heavy coughs.

"Nice Rikku. You really pack a wallop with you." Gippal laughed.

Rikku winked at him, "A girl never knows when those will come in handy."

But there was no time for wise cracks, as the smoke quickly dissipated. The three made it to the shoopuf station before that, however, and demanded a lift. The Hypello managing the station was, as to be expected, confused beyond help.

"Why all the shouting and exploshions? What ish going on?" he clamored at Nooj.

He wasn't in any mood to chat, "Look, we are in a tremendous hurry and need to ride this shoopuf."

The Hypello was still hopelessly dazed, "Not when there ish boomsh booms and bangsh bangs all over the plash place."

Gippal, who never had a refined sense of manners, took matters in his own hands – literally. In his fit, he grabbed the little Hypello and threw him over his shoulder. Followed by Nooj and Rikku, he hustled over to the shoopuf lift, and hopped aboard.

"Look buddy, we need to scram and fast! Make this shoopuf ride!" he commanded, eying the impending onslaught of soldiers coming out of the gas cloud.

All three of them, with beastly looks combined, amazingly convinced the Hypello to launch an emergency shoopuf ride. He yelped at the shoopuf, and it trotted to the river with as much swiftness as a shoopuf could muster. The guards closed in, but were barely too late to catch them. Three of them knelt down to take a shot. Rikku ducked to the floor of the tiny cabin. But nothing sounded; the captain ordered them to stand down.

"I wonder if they're come across the river a different way?" Nooj sighed worriedly.

"Perhaps, but they'll never beat us across. So we're have to move once we hit land." calmed Gippal, his arms folded looking past the water.

Rikku was still huffing and puffing from their marathon escape. She sat down, and peered out, glancing at all the elegant pyreflies swarming along the river. There were so many of them – numerous more than at the southern part of the Moonflow. She remembered this little trek over the water was where the Al Bhed tried to kidnap Yuna again.

During this little hiatus from action, she also recollected her meeting here with Yuna. This was where she joined her as a guardian. She laughed as she thought about her big conference with her cousin; it was the very first time she'd ever done something that serious before. It was awkward, especially way back then, but it was something she never regretted.

After a short time, they reached the northern end of the Moonflow. No guards were in sight, but Nooj didn't want to risk anything. They scuttled away and headed for Guadosalam as soon as they arrived. At least in the forest, Nooj said, no one besides them could get shot. The afternoon sun was, unfortunately for them, very hot this day. Luckily, Rin supplied the some water in the backpack he gave to Rikku.

"Man it's hot." Gippal commented the obvious.

"Guadosalam isn't far," explained Nooj, who even in the heat was completely composed, "don't sweat to death on us."

Gippal laughed a little as he wiped the stinging sweat out of his eye, "Did you just make a joke buddy?"

"Even I need some escape from this heat." he cracked, as he hinted a smile.

"All I know is," pouted Rikku, who was drenched in sweat, "that I need a fan!"

Rikku found a sanctuary in Guadosalam. It was much cooler there than outside underneath the wretched sun. Yet, Rikku could immediately felt the emptiness that existed. No Guado lived here anymore. There were only some shady sphere hunters, and of course, the LeBlanc Syndicate headquarters. What used to be Seymour's villa had now become Leblanc's personal château. Rikku couldn't imagine anything quite so weird even if she tried.

Nevertheless, there was little time for sightseeing, as Nooj and Gippal pressed on to the Thunder Plains. Unlike two years ago, she was no longer afraid of the lightning. This was only because she spent two weeks here to overcome that fear. Except she still jumped on the inside whenever a big bolt cracked down nearby her. Nobody was around as they passed through, making sure to stay between all the towers.

A voice of a man called from behind them, "Rammu! Ruf yna oui? (Hello! How are you?)"

Purely from reaction, Gippal turned around and dove at the man. When he realized he tackled an Al Bhed man, he got up in a flash. He smiled embarrassedly at the man and apologized. Helping him up, he saw he was getting a peevish look from his partner.

"Hey, sorry man...I'm a bit jumpy."

The man dusted himself off, "It's alright. The lightning around here will do that to you."

Nooj jumped in, "He's under a bit of stress. We're uh...avoiding some particulars from Bevelle..."

The man waved his hand at them, "Say no more, I understand. Just keep following the path. If I were you, I'd stay at the inn for the night. Lightning gets pretty bad around this time."

"Thanks." waved Gippal as they continued onward.

They saw in the distance the inn. Everyone was dead tired from the craziness of the day. They happily entered the inn, and Nooj went up the clerk. He wasn't about to let Gippal leap attack her as he did the mechanic outside.

"Good day. We need two rooms." he requested, pointing to Rikku and Gippal.

The clerk nodded and removed two keys which were hanging on the wall, "Your rooms are in the back. Have a good night."

Gippal brushed his head, "Man, it's really that late. I can't really tell here."

Rikku walked back the corridor and entered the room to the left. It was the same room, she remembered, which Yuna stayed in when they pilgrimaged through here. If memory served her correctly, this was where she watched the plea of Seymour's father, Lord Jyscal. This is also where Yuna decided to marry Seymour. At least, she lead everyone to believe that was her intent. Laying down upon the surprisingly soft and cushy bed, she quickly went to sleep. She hoped that she could actually attain a full night's rest, and not be woken to run aways from gun-toting soldiers.

Her wish was granted, and it wasn't until later morning did she arise. The smell of decent food lured her out from under the covers. While she appreciated the backpack full of goodies Rin gave her, it wasn't the finest of delicacies. In the lobby, Nooj and Gippal were already eating, and discussing the rest of their journey.

"Mornin' Rikku." greeted Gippal cheerfully.

"You're finally up," teased Nooj mutedly, "we thought food would make you get up."

Rikku scoffed fiercely, "Hey! Are you saying I'm getting fat or something?"

Gippal laughed and nearly choked on his breakfast. Even Nooj smirked at his partner's idiocy. Rikku giggled and sat down next to him, stealing a piece of his food. He stuck at his greasy tongue, trying to lick her with it. Nooj rolled his eyes.

"Enough flirting you guys. It's business time." he sneered, half in jest.

Rikku blushed, and they both snapped into a more appropriate position. They hashed over the remaining path in front of them. Nooj wanted to get to the Calm Lands and then Bevelle before nightfall if possible. Going through Macalania would be easy, but getting into Bevelle itself would be difficult. It was patrolled by numerous guards. Rikku thought back to the first two times the Gullwings infiltrated Bevelle.

She told them about her past adventures she had in Bevelle. Then she explained them the circumstances, and they both sighed. LeBlanc didn't want to go head-to-head with the Temple again, and dressing up as guards wouldn't work so well for Gippal or Nooj. They were back to square one.

"Screw the planning. If we can get past the guards in Macalania, then we'll just blend in once we enter Bevelle. Heh, they'll never expect us to be there." blurted Gippal, defying Nooj's calculated personality.

Nooj rubbed his eyes and sighed. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Gippal probably had the best idea. The hardest thing to do was slipping by in Macalania. They shouldn't, he prayed, need to worry about being captured in Bevelle. It was as Gippal said, those guards would never think they'd enter Bevelle.

Once the food was nothing more than crumbs, they three continued through the rest of the Thunder Plains. They passed the mechanic, and greeted him well – especially Gippal. He stopped them to say something before they left.

"Just a word of advice," he warned, "be careful in Bevelle. A friend of mine living there says they've really boosted security in and around the city."

Nooj frowned, "Hmm...well, it isn't as if we wouldn't expect it. Thanks for the tip."

The mechanic nodded and went back to his work. The thundering plains faded into a serene forest. Carefully looking for guards, they walked over and under the enormous branches of the trees. The calm here was eerie, as the desolation continued to progress in the dying forest. It gave Rikku the chills. She recalled the dive Paine, Yuna, and she took into the lake nearby. Times were not very chipper then, although still much more desirable than they were now. It was also here during the pilgrimage that they had their last refugee before enter the bastille that was Bevelle.

Again, all went by uneventfully. Nearing the crossroads of Bevelle and the Calm Lands, they came across some Guado that had been living, or to some hiding, in Macalania. Not a single one was without a sad and depressed face. More chilling to the bone than the soundless woods was the emptiness so apparent on each of their faces. Rikku was awestruck, as was even Nooj and Gippal. Images of Yuna pleading with Garik to spare the Guado flooded in Rikku's thoughts. And here they sat, drowning in a pool of sorrow. She wanted to say something, but it would do no good she knew.

More important than the state of the Guado was their infiltration of Bevelle. The mechanic in the Thunder Plains was correct, more guards were stationed in the forest. Gippal knew it would be tricky for them to slip by. Nooj suggested a commando-like sneak attack on a group of guards. Gippal disagreed, commenting about something to the tune of he wasn't a death seeker.

"Then why don't I throw down some more smoke grenades and we'll run like crazy until we enter the city." chimed in Rikku.

The two men merely looked at her, then at each other, and nodded. They wished there was a better plan, at least a better sounding one, but each knew that wasn't so. The path into Bevelle was narrow until they cleared the forest, so it would have to be during a guard change. Nooj was the lookout, eying the passing squads of guards. Gippal and Rikku, armed with grenades in hand, readied for their opportunity. A pair of guards walked very close to Nooj, who was cleverly hidden inside a prickly bush. Yet he did not flinch, as his stone will was put to good use. Finally, he noticed most of the guards had returned back into the city. With only two remaining, he knew that this was their chance.

"Go!" he shouted.

Rikku and Gippal dashed out from their hiding spot and lobbed the grenades around the guards. They choked and coughed into a fit, and were immobilized. Rikku and Gippal sprinted by, and caught up to Nooj, who was puttering on with his bum leg. Gippal helped his friend, and practically dragged him along. They bypassed the guards who were alerted to the situation. After a few minutes, they sneaked into the city undetected.

"T-that was fun," huffed Gippal, "a-and a whole lot easier...than I expected."

Nooj was in ever worse shape, "M-man...I'm too, er, old f-for this..."

After regaining their breath, they waltzed into the square of Bevelle. Beforehand, Rikku dressed herself up like a peddler, per their discussion in Kilika. She felt funny in her, as Gippal put it, cute little shyster uniform. The sun was setting, and they weren't sure if LeBlanc would still be out looking for them. They told her to look for a Gullwing she recognized, who would be wearing a peddler's outfit. Rikku also searched around, hoping to spot either LeBlanc or one of her goofy associates.

Meanwhile, Nooj and Gippal stood by a tavern, watching her mill around the market square. They, too, trusted LeBlanc didn't desert them.

"This better be worth it, Nooj." barked Gippal.

Nooj smirked at his friend, "After this stinking adventure, we'd better get our sphere."

"About that," suddenly spoke a voice from behind them, "is exactly what we wanted to discuss with you."

Spooked, the two men turned around to find a group of soldiers standing behind them, guns pointed at their heads. They couldn't believe, of all places, they got busted in Bevelle. Gippal gave them a vicious look, but knew it was best not to get himself killed.

One of the guards pushed them with his gun, "Come with me gentlemen. We have a room waiting for you..."

* * *

_**Next chapter: **With moving back to college, there may not be another chapter for a few weeks. I don't know, so hopefully this biggie will tide you over. Anyway, Nooj and Gippal are now unhappy guests of the state! Worse yet, Rikku has no idea what has just transpired, as she's busy looking for LeBlanc. What will she do once she finds out? And what kind of tortures might Nooj and Gippal endure?_


	40. Chapter 40 – Graceless Rescue

**Chapter 40 – Graceless Rescue**

_Hey all, I'm back. Now that things have gotten started, I should be able to go back onto my regular routine. Thanks for waiting! Also, this is the big 4 – 0. I'd never thought my story would ever get this far (ya know, I'm probably gonna get arthritis from this), but here I am. Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. Keep the feedback coming!_

* * *

Rikku bumbled amongst the rather massive crowd of people in the market square. She was surprised that the city was already as repaired as much as it was. It was only a few weeks prior did Kinoc's fiends run amok in the city. While parts of the devastation could still be seen, the citizens of Bevelle still marched on with their lives. Now if only she could find LeBlanc in this mess.

Surely, she thought to herself, LeBlanc should stand out like a sore thumb. Yet, she hadn't found her. She felt utterly ridiculous in her goofy peddler outfit. The sleeves were too long, and the pants were too tight. For some reason, she knew Gippal got a kick about the tight pants. She huffed to herself as she was just about ready to give up. Then she glanced at a stand near the end of the square.

There she spotted a squatly and fat man walking alongside a very tall and skinny man. She instantly recognized them to be Ormi and Logos. She breathed a sigh of relief as she pranced over to them. Behind the two was LeBlanc in all her typical glory, ordering her two flunkies around. Rikku waved her arm at them.

"Over here LeBlanc," she shouted across the market, "I'm over here!"

LeBlanc noticed the tiny Al Bhed peddler and immediately knew it must be Rikku. Satisfied that Gippal did in fact send a reputable person, she happily met with Rikku. Even Ormi and Logos were delighted to see a Dullwing. The last they met was Yuna's funeral – a less than desirable event in which to converse.

"Cute costume you have." snickered Logos.

Ormi was a little nicer, "But the frills are really nice."

LeBlanc swatted both of them with her fan, "Shut up and show some respect. We're here on business remember."

The two humbly nodded while Rikku emitted a little giggle. They all walked to a secluded back alley in which the transaction would occur. Rikku felt devious because of all the sneaking around. Then again, feeling devious gave her a real tingle. LeBlanc pulled a shiny red sphere from a pouch she was wearing.

"Here it is, the Crimson Sphere thing Gippal asked for."

Rikku smiled, "Great, then this is all we need."

Rikku grabbed for the sphere, but LeBlanc quickly retracted it from her. She shot LeBlanc a confused look. Meanwhile, LeBlanc just shook her head.

"Don't you know this is a mutual transaction," she growled, "that means I get something for what I'm giving you."

Rikku still glared at her perplexedly, "Huh? But Gippal never gave me anything to give to you."

"That cheat! Who does he think he is?" she roared, scaring Ormi.

Rikku sighed, "You think at least Nooj would have been smart enough to remember a little detail like that..."

At this, LeBlanc instantly stopped her rant and perked up, "Nooj is here, did you say? Well, why didn't you tell me my Noojie-Woojie was here! Where is he?"

"Uh oh..." Logos sighed, rubbing his nose.

"Um, they are over there waiting." Rikku pointed.

But nobody was standing where Rikku pointed. LeBlanc scratched her head, thinking Rikku must be mixed up. Then Rikku turned around and almost shrieked when she saw the empty space. She bolted out from the alley, and searched around for them. Beginning to panic, she ran back over to LeBlanc who was wondering what was going on.

"Hey LeBlanc, they're gone!" she yelped.

LeBlanc motioned for her to calm down, "Whoa there Rikku...I'm sure they're around here somewhere. My Noojie isn't one to get lost."

Rikku shook her head. She was right, as Nooj was at least intelligent enough to know what he was doing. Gippal, on the other hand, was so easy to know. Looking around near where they were supposed to be, Rikku found an old man clerking at a fruit and vegetable stand. She walked up to him.

"Excuse me sir, did you happen to see where those two men standing over there went?"

He rubbed his chin for a moment, then spoke, "Ah yes, those two. You might want to avoid them. Some guards came and escorted them away. They must be in some sort of trouble."

Now Rikku's eyes filled with panic. After all the struggling they did to dodge capture, they get nailed in Bevelle of all places. So much for Gippal's theory. Looking down, Rikku had no idea what to do next. LeBlanc put her arm around her. Rikku looked up, and saw a glimmering smile on LeBlanc's face.

"Not to worry Rikku," she declared confidently, "we'll rescue Noojie. And then I'll collect my gil from Gippal."

Rikku nodded and immediately lightened up. She was relieved that she didn't have to spring them out all on her own, which would have been nearly impossible. Still, they would have to know where to look first.

"What do we do first?" she asked LeBlanc.

LeBlanc sighed slightly, and didn't answer right away, "Well...I say we check out the temple first. That's the most likely place they'd be taken to."

Rikku agreed, and followed LeBlanc and goons to the temple entrance. Sure enough, they caught a glimpse of some guards escorting Nooj and Gippal into the temple. Rikku began to shout out and run towards them, but was forcefully grabbed by LeBlanc.

"No! Doing that will just get you locked up like them. For now, we need to be stealthy." LeBlanc's lips curled into a devilish smile.

She snorted at LeBlanc, "Then what do we do? I can't just let them take them right in front of me!"

LeBlanc shook her head, "Hold on. I don't like this any more than you do. But if you get caught, then who will rescue them."

Rikku halted her anger, and sucked up her drive to rush off. LeBlanc was right, and she knew it. Once calmed, she began racking her mind as to the best way to save her friends. She doubted they would be taken below ground – at least she hoped not. Instead, they'd probably be kept somewhere near where Baralai took her when she was injured.

"I bet they'll be up there," she stated, while pointing to the upper levels of the temple, "so we need to sneak our way to the roof."

Ormi and Logos looked at each other nervously, "Maybe that's true, but how exactly are we going to do that without getting caught. We certainly don't want to be captured by the Yevonites. Who knows what they might do to us."

"Nonsense! Don't be so cowardly. LeBlanc never fears an opportunity to fight. Besides, we have to save my Noojie from the big bad temple." LeBlanc growled, firmly placing her hands on her hips.

"Don't worry guys," Rikku chimed in with reassurance, "we can just climb up on the other side. There aren't as many people over there."

Ormi and Logos peered over to the adjacent building, which did in fact connect to the main temple structure. Besides one old priest pacing back and forth, they saw no one else in the vicinity.

Logos nodded to himself, "It seems she's right. This doesn't appear to be as hard now...I hope..."

The four headed backwards to behind the connecting building. It was at this point that Ormi, although not known for his astounding intelligence, made a very good observation. With no climbing gear, how did they expect to scale to the rooftop. Rikku's smile glimmered more than ever. She reached around to open up the small backpack which was part of her costume. In it was a grapple and a rope. LeBlanc was a little surprised to see Rikku pull out a trick like that. Rikku chuckled, and explained she only found it after she put her clothing on.

"Who cares how you got it," Logos shrugged, "just that you have it."

Rikku extended it out to Logos, "Actually, you will probably be able to do this best."

His confidence assured him that he could, and he gripped strongly onto the rope. With a wild twirl, he flung the grapple high into the air. Unfortunately, he missed horribly, and the falling grapple bounced with a clang off of Ormi's head.

"Ow!" cried Ormi, rubbing throbbing head, "you suck Logos!"

LeBlanc scoffed at her flunky's incompetence, "Argh! Here, let me do it!"

She ripped the grapple from his hands and shot it up like a rocket. Perfectly it latched to the roof's edge. With a tug, she determined the rope was secure. Rikku was awestruck by her moment of awesomeness. She climbed up first, with LeBlanc second.

"You two," she ordered, "stay here and watch for us. More than likely, we'll have to make a fast break."

"Got it boss!" they both saluted in tandem.

Reaching the top first, Rikku poked her head over the lip of the roof. She glanced around, making sure the coast was clear. Nobody was there, so she leaped over the top. She turned around to help LeBlanc. The two made it – but the hard part was just coming up. They carefully tiptoed around the roof, making extra sure not to be spotted. Their only obstacle was the old man hobbling around the catwalk which connected the two buildings. Hiding behind a spire, they watched for the old man to leave. But he continued to relentlessly walk back and forth, babbling nonsense to himself.

"Man, who is this wacko?" whispered Rikku to LeBlanc.

LeBlanc shared in her frustration, "I don't know, but I'm about ready to knock him off."

Since it was apparent that the nutty old priest wasn't about to leave, they would have to come up with some other plan to get passed him. However, the only way over without making themselves known was the bridge. Therefore, Rikku came up with a daring idea. It wasn't actually daring, but would require a bit of good acting. Realizing she was still in her peddler outfit, she slowly walked up the priest. He was still meandering back and forth jabbering on and on. When he came to her, he paused and looked up. Rikku pierced his soul with her dazzling smile.

"Hello there," she greeted, hoping to play off his craziness, "would you like to buy something uh...special?"

The priest peered at her for a moment, his eyes bugging out of their sockets. She took a step back, as his wrinkly face creeped her out. For a moment, she watched his eyes browse her up and down. Her hand began to shake. The old man took another step forward, and stretched his crackling back forward, putting Rikku in a very awkward bent-back position. She could feel his murky warm breath on her face.

Finally, he opened his mouth, exposing his yellow teeth, "Such a cute little girl. Tell me, what is it you are selling?"

Rikku mustered all her might to smile, "Heh, well...something shiny and beautiful!"

She motioned for LeBlanc to come over. Confused, she appeared from her hiding spot and carefully walked over. Rikku immediately snatched the Crimson Sphere from her, and showed it to the old priest.

"See, this is one-of-a-kind. It's, uh, the greatest luck charm in Spira!"

Rikku was flush red, and felt so stupid, knowing the old man would never fall for such an obvious trick. Yet, she could see the red glimmer of the sphere reflecting in the old man's bulging eyes. A trickle of salivation ran down from his jaw.

"Yes, this is lovely. How much for it little lady?" he asked eagerly.

Rikku looked over at LeBlanc for some help. LeBlanc cringed, and thought for a moment. She laughed for a second, not sure why she was in such a crazy position. Fed up with all of this, she tapped the old priest on the shoulder.

"Just move two steps to your left."

The old man gazed at her oddly, but complied. Instantly, LeBlanc grabbed Rikku's hand and zipped away. The old man shouted back, but then went back to admiring his pretty new jewel. Meanwhile, LeBlanc didn't stop running until she found a door leading inside the temple.

"That...was the s-stupidest thing I h-have ever done." she huffed, kneeling down.

Rikku just nodded, as she was still disturbed my the scary face of the old priest. LeBlanc, not wanting to get caught in any more strange situations, placed her ear against the door. She heard nothing, and slowly opened it, peeking her head in to search around. It was dark, with only the light of a staircase in the background.

Nimbly they made their way downstairs. Rikku recognized where they were. She saw the same green door which was where she rested when she was injured in the Bevelle underground. Although she wasn't sure if they might be kept here, it was worth a try. First she tried her green door room, but it was empty. She was a little disappointed, as she hoped she could woo him in there as he did her.

Next, they tried the door across from that, but it was empty. The following rooms were also void of Nooj and Baralai. They turned the corner, and almost were spotted by a pair of passing guards. Relieved that they weren't seen, they continued down the other corridor. They eventually came to a red door which was being guarded. The two soldiers weren't typical Yevon soldiers; they looked a lot more brutal.

"Well love, I bet this is where they are." smirked LeBlanc.

Rikku laughed, "Heh, yeah. I guess they can't make it any more obvious."

The only problem was, now that they found their location, how would they get past the guards. Rikku knew these were no chumps, so they would have to be quick. Then Rikku remembered the last "surprise" she had kept for the journey. From her backpack she pulled out a lavender grenade. LeBlanc glared uncomfortably at her.

"Just what are you going to do with that?" she questioned harshly, thinking something bad was about to happen.

"This? Um, well...it's a grenade with sleeping gas in it." she answered concisely.

LeBlanc nodded, satisfied with her response. However, Rikku wasn't finished yet.

"See, I need you to lure them closer. Then I'll pop the pin out and put them to sleep."

LeBlanc nodded slightly, then Rikku's words finally sunk in, "Y-you want me to do what? Don't you see the big guns they're carrying?"

"Don't worry about it. I just need them a little closer. When I shout, just hurry up and duck back here."

LeBlanc sighed – now she knew something bad was going to happen. And unfortunately it was going to be to her. She huffed and gathered herself up. Blowing out some air, she glided out from the corner.

"Oh boys...how are you doing tonight?" she waved.

The two guards, half-startled by her sudden appearance, pointed their guns at her. They yelled for her to halt and state her who she was. LeBlanc kept her cool, but only barely, and continued to flirt with the guards.

"Now now," she led on cautiously, "you boys must be tired of standing here all day carrying those big, heavy guns."

The two men looked at each other in puzzlement, but relaxed some. They were, for some reason, dazzled by LeBlanc's ploy. Coyly she penetrated their eyes with hers, and blew them a kiss. The trick was actually working. The two guards were now entranced by LeBlanc's appeal, and started walking closer to her. She gave them a wink, and they began to look at her with puppy dog eyes.

"Now!" Rikku yelled, and LeBlanc dove back behind the corner.

Rikku whipped the grenade at the floor underneath the soldiers, and a thick gas burst from it. The guards started to gag, and their eyes watered. After a few moments, they laid silently on the ground. LeBlanc was truly relieved, as that was the most horrible thing she'd ever done.

"I don't know LeBlanc," teased Rikku delightedly, "you were pretty good at it. Do that sort of thing often?"

LeBlanc scoffed and gave her an evil eye, "How dare you insinuate that I would degrade myself like that on a daily basis. Why, my reputation would be ruined."

LeBlanc stuck her nose in the air and moved to the door. Beforehand, she reached down and picked up a set of keys. After trying two or three of them, she unlocked the door. Inside was their two comrades, Nooj and Gippal.

"Noojie!" shouted LeBlanc happily.

The two men, stunned to see Rikku and LeBlanc, startlingly shot their sights over towards the doorway. As much as they wanted to greet them better, they were a little tied down. A snug rope held them on the chairs they were sitting on.

"Boy are we glad to see you." cheered Gippal.

Nooj was equally, although sarcastically, appreciative, "We were getting worried you might get lost."

"That was because I was here to lead her." LeBlanc complemented herself.

Rikku took out one of her curved blades and cut off the ropes containing Gippal. Once free, he ripped her by the arm and she fell onto his lap.

"Did I ever tell you that those peddler pants fit you well." he winked.

Rikku scoffed and smacked him upside the head. This was no time for games, as a blaring alarm roared throughout the temple. They knew they were busted. LeBlanc helped Nooj out of his ropes, and they all darted out of the room.

"I doubt we'll be able to go out the front door." Gippal cracked.

"Why don't we just leave the way we came." suggested Rikku, as she led them sprinting down the hallway.

Bullets shot up the wall behind them as they ran for their lives back to the rooftop. Up the stairs they went. While Nooj and Gippal were completely lost to the fact as to why they were on the roof, Rikku and LeBlanc were not stopping. As they made haste over the roof, the old priest was still up there, admiring his sphere. When Rikku passed him, she grabbed the sphere out of this hands. LeBlanc started running faster, as she hated his ugly-looking face. Nooj and Gippal merely looked puzzled when he smiled tantalizingly at them. As fast as they could go, they scaled down the wall. Logos and Ormi were still waiting for them at the bottom. Their faces were relieved when they saw their boss was unharmed.

"You made it! We're so glad." expressed Logos.

"We gotta get outta here. There's guards everywhere!" Ormi belted, his whole body shaking nervously.

Luckily, in the panic the guards had no sense of command, so they were able to sneak out of the city. Even in the distance of Macalania, they could still hear the sounding alarm. Rikku was embarrassed that they caused so much hysteria. Gippal was just happy to not be rotting in a dungeon.

"It seems nobody wanted to go down into the underground, so they kept us upstairs." explained Nooj.

Gippal cracked a smile, "They were all too scared of the fiends."

Rikku handed Gippal the Crimson Sphere they needed. With all ten, they could now enter the Den of Woe. However, he had one more little detail to take care of. Extending her hand out, LeBlanc waited impatiently, tapping her foot. Gippal scratched his head, not sure of what she was getting at.

"Ahem! My payment Gippal. I'm waiting..."

Gippal looked dumbfounded at her, forgetting that he was flat broke. Nooj stepped up to her, flashing her a smile of all things.

"I guess I'll just owe you one, LeBlanc." he offered straightly.

At this LeBlanc blushed. She put her hands on her face to cover up her rosy cheeks. Her flaring demand of payment somehow disappeared, and all that was left was a giggling little schoolgirl. Her two associates were equally embarrassed, but for a different reason. Afterwards, LeBlanc split ways with them, and headed back to Guadosalam.

"Better rest up kid," encouraged Gippal, "tomorrow's gonna be a big hike."

Rikku stuck her tongue out at him, "Whatever, I'm a big girl, remember."

He walked up to her, placing his finger under her chin, "Yeah you are. Thanks."

* * *

_**Next chapter:** The trio is hiking back to Mushroom Rock. However, the cave they are about to enter is no resort. Haunting memories for both Gippal and Nooj will resurface. And on top of that, they will find out the true nature of Shuyin and his plans._


	41. Chapter 41 – Demon from the Past

**Chapter 41 – Demon from the Past**

The sun was glowing bright yellow in the sky, hanging just above towering spires in Mushroom Rock. The air was still. Occasionally, the gentle movement of the breeze rustled some browning shrubs. There was also the incidental fiend scampering about. Even with the chaos of losing their leader, the soldiers of the Youth League still patrolled this area. Before they came, Mushroom Rock was littered with fiends. Now it was more passable, especially since hovercraft were also available for use.

Yet this place was no tourist attraction, no vacation stop. While it was a beautiful piece of landscape, there was no eloquence in living near it. Aside from the Youth League, no one would choose to call this place home. The Youth League, however, was a group of Spira's misfits. All of them were wanderers from the four corners of the world. After the storm which was Sin, these were people with no direction in which to drive forth. They squandered in the confused and devastated state of everything.

Nooj, their leader, was a calm and solitary man. At first glance, he seemed most unfit to lead a rabbled group of refugees. He may have lacked the expression of prayer and compassion, but it was his steadfast nature which attracted the hearts and minds of his followers. They needed a leader, and he was proud to do so. It was a fact he would never humbly admit to, but nor would he brazenly admit to it either.

Though much as a building cannot stand without its foundation, the Youth League was beginning to crumble from the loss of its beloved leader. Luckily, as Nooj hoped would happen, there were those who stepped up to attempt to fill his place. For the time being, the group was still stitched together.

Nooj stood from afar, on top of a tall, rocky pillar. He gazed with a yearning face to the home of his Youth League. He would give anything to be there, but knew for all their sakes he could not.

"We're almost done bud." Gippal gestured, trying to cheer up his friend.

Nooj sighed, replying with a sad smile, "Yeah I know. But it won't be getting any easier."

Gippal knew exactly what he was speaking of. He and Nooj both recalled the terrible memories which happened there – the Den of Woe. They, the Crimson Squad, were in their final training exercise. Specially commissioned by Yevon to investigate this mysterious cave, they were lead by Maester Kinoc himself. But there was nothing simple about this operation. The cave was filled with madness – pure madness. It was here where they first encountered Shuyin. In all his rage and desire, his phantom of Vegnagun drove them all insane. If it wasn't for Paine's intervention, Gippal, Nooj, and Baralai would have killed each other.

Fear was the persona of this place, and the memory of it still rang deep into Gippal and Nooj's souls. Upon the peak, nevertheless, the two men made a pact. No matter how afraid they were of the past repeating itself, nor the horrible dangers which might be unleashed once more, they would finish what they set out to do.

"Are we about there?" whined Rikku climbing over a rather bulky rock.

"No yet," calmed Gippal, "but we're close."

Nooj merely smirked. He knew as well as Gippal that they both felt the cave. The terrible things it held reeked in their nostrils. It made the hairs on their bodies twitch in fever. The three walked underneath the main paths which led to what was now the Youth League headquarters. It was hard for Rikku to imagine, even though Gippal told her of their story, that the Crimson Squad was being decimated while Operation Mi'hen was failing.

"How could Yevon let something so terrible like that happen? Didn't they need you against Sin?" she asked puzzledly to Nooj.

He paused for a moment to think about what she said, as it was something he had never thought about, "Hmm...I don't believe so. They already had known the operation would fail. There was no point to us being in it."

"That's why," continued Gippal, "we were sent to the cave. I really to this day have no idea what the true purpose was behind it but...but I don't think us coming out alive was part of the plan."

"That's...just so wrong..." whimpered Rikku, who looked as though she would cry.

Gippal nodded, "Yeah it is...but that's just how thing go sometimes."

Rikku stayed silent, but inside she agreed wholeheartedly. This kind of unfair pain was not a stranger to her either. Although the little adventure she'd been having with Gippal and Nooj had made kept her preoccupied, she could never forget her own personal tragedy. As she looked up to the blue sky, she wondered where it may be that Yuna was resting now.

Again they climbed some sharp rocks up to a small corridor. Here, secretly hidden was an entrance. It was blocked by a gigantic door. In the door were ten small, circular insets. Rikku peered ominously at them. Gippal chuckled at her cute curiosity.

"Those holes are for these," he explained, pulling out a Crimson Sphere, "and not your big nose."

Rikku scrunched her eyes together, giving him a mean face while she covered her nose, "Excuse me? I most certainly do not have a big nose."

Again he laughed, and placed his arm around her. He bent over and placed a little kiss on her cheek. She smiled up at him, becoming willfully entranced by his dazzling eyes. Nooj was watching all of this, merely shaking his head. At least, he felt, Gippal was taking this well. Nooj decided it was time to get this over with, and pulled out the spheres he was holding.

One by one Gippal and Nooj inserted the spheres into the door. With each one in place, a part of the door began to glow. The colors of light radiated into sparkles reflecting off Rikku's green eyes. She was enthralled by the thought of what could be behind this grand door which sealed the cave. But by the way it was told to her, the monstrous things that it held scared her more than being in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth. And that, to her, was a very scary place.

With the final sphere in place, all ten spheres glowed in unison. With a thunderous flash, the seal was undone, and the door slid open. But that was the last glow to greet them, as the inside of the cave remained a mystery. There was no phantasmic light to show them the way. Instead, only the sound of an eerie wind which leaped from the depths blew in their faces. Rikku jumped back, latching onto Gippal's arm tightly. Gippal, too, gripped to her hand. As much as she was afraid to enter, Gippal felt twice the resignation. Nooj just stood their, his crutch and arm shaking.

"Well..." Gippal spoke after what seemed like an eternity of silence, "let's go."

The cold wind which blew in their faces now had stifled into a thick, gagging blob. The smell of age-old blood still held its disgusting aroma around them. Rikku took out her flashlight, as only a very dim light echoed in the cave, and shone it around the walls. Skeletal remains of more than just the Crimson Squad littered their path. Whatever deaths or murders had been committed here, their presence of still very much alive.

"How terrible..." Rikku choked, seeing mound of bones lying together, "what could have possibly happened in here?"

"An unspeakable truth." Gippal said simply, his face as frigid as the air.

Nooj was equally as stern, "This is what happened to the Crimson Squad."

As they continued through the cave, their setting only worsened. The dank smell of rotting flesh sifted through their lungs. But there no longer were any bodies to decay. Whatever the smell emanated from, it was hidden from view, but not their senses.

"W-what do you possibly hope to find here?" nervously Rikku asked, her faith in this trek visibly shaken.

Gippal turned his head to her, and looked her straight into her eyes, "I don't know. But I do know we will find something."

Nooj stopped moving, "Shuyin spent an unnatural amount of time in here. If any remnant of his plans exist, they do here. Hopefully, it's just his remnants. This place is drenched in madness and despair..."

"I understand," Rikku announced to him, trying to hide her fear, "Spira is in danger because of him. I do realize..."

Gippal put his hand on her shoulder, "It's alright. You don't have to be any more brave than you feel. We all know how dire this all is."

Nooj nodded his head and resumed walking. Rikku felt a bit relieved, as she didn't want to seem as if she didn't care. Although, she knew in her heart, that this was a silly thought. Perhaps it was this cave that led to her misplaced feelings. After knowing was had transpired here, it was hard for her to imagine the twisting it could do to one's mind. Such a place held within its murky walls the souls lost to a madman's rage.

"Stop!" yelled Nooj suddenly, pointing to a blurry figure in front of them.

Rikku and Gippal both jumped, and watched as this glowing figure neared them. The outline cleared into a man – a soldier. He readied his gun, and pointed it at them. Rikku waved her hands at him.

"Wait! We're here to help..." she shouted, but Nooj pushed her backwards.

"That won't help! He's already dead!"

It was then Rikku noticed pyreflies spinning around the soldier. She gasped, and realized this man was unsent. He continued his blank stare at the group, still holding them at bay with his rifle. Nooj instantly recognized the man. It was a man he once stood beside in training. In the cave he was shot dead by one of his fellow comrades during the bloodbath.

But the man was no longer human; no more did he have blood swelling in his cold, blue veins. He was nothing more than a mindless ghost. Or perhaps he wasn't mindless, but soulless – a spirit seeking some sort of sense in his utterly pointless death. With the shadows clouding their view, Gippal nor Nooj could tell if his gun was real, or a figment like the solider. They didn't want to take the chance.

Gippal leaped from his standstill and lunged at the fallen soldier. He was wrapped in the head by the butt of the rifle, and yelped as he stumbled backwards. Nooj engaged him with his sidearm, firing two shots at the man. The bullets were dodged, as if the man knew they were coming even before Nooj thought to pull the trigger. A grimacing laughter erupted from the dark, and the soldier slumped to the ground.

"Oh, how little you have changed." it cackled, turning the skin of Nooj and Gippal pale.

Gippal gasped, darting his eyes around sporadically, "No, it can't be! He's here..."

Shuyin appeared from the breaches of darkness, "Yes, these pyreflies which swarm this man entwined themselves with my memories. This is why I'm still here. I wanted to rest forever, but the pyreflies make me relive that moment...again and again and again!"

A whirlwind of chilling air burst from nowhere, nearly causing Rikku to pass out. It was a horrible feeling which she'd never felt before. It was as if a thousand years of suffering formed into a tangible being, catapulting itself into her soul. The very presence of Shuyin carved fear into her heart.

"You! You were the one who caused the Crimson Squad to go mad!" belted Gippal, pointing his finger sharply at him.

Shuyin merely chuckled at his stinging remark, "Heh, madness...you would go mad as well if you were damned to suffer for all eternity."

"This is what destroyed the squad," remarked Nooj, peering angrily at Shuyin, his gaze deadlocked with him, "a soul that's lived in this world for far too long."

"One could say the same about you, death seeker." shot back Shuyin, now with his eyes engaged to Nooj's.

"He may seek death," raged Gippal in his friend's defense, "but at least he never gives it!"

Rikku merely stood in trepidation, watching this man who she now knew as Shuyin. In the beginning, she was aghast because the lore this man had in her mind. Hearing the terrible massacre he caused to the Crimson Squad scared her witless. But then, creeping into her head, was the thought that because of this man, Yuna died. It was he who set Kinoc free; it was he who split the depths of Bevelle to unleash what murdered Yuna. For the first time, pure rage built up in her depth and breadth. Her eyes glowed with a fury she never knew herself capable of.

Without thought, she darted towards Shuyin, screaming, "It's all your fault!"

Slicing wildly with her curved blade, she attempted to cut Shuyin down, but he disappeared before she could reach him. Looking around in all directions, she couldn't locate him. Clueless, she yelled to the darkness swarming around her.

"Come out...I'm going to kill you!"

Instead, she received a distraught laugh from her right side. She quickly spun around, only to see it was coming from Nooj. Again the devious cackle raged from his lips. His posture was also different. Instead of his hunched-over self with a limp, he was full erect. Even his eyes leered with a heavy, unsettling stare.

"Nooj...what are you doing?" she asked, unknowing as to why he suddenly changed.

Gippal nearly choked on his own saliva, "No, you didn't Shuyin..."

Nooj roared a gaping chortle, "Heh, once again I reside in this friend of yours. This time I will make sure you rest here for eternity!"

Bursting from his stance, Nooj's body leaped at Gippal. With a hard swing, Gippal nearly had his head taken of by Nooj's crutch. Gippal continued dodging, as he was unable to attack his own friend. Yet the wrath of Shuyin inside remained in control. Finally with a quick thrust, he knocked Gippal to the ground. Realizing it was all he could do, Gippal did a nimble leg sweep, tripping Nooj to the ground.

He bounced up, and lashed at Nooj, but was met by a hard swing of Nooj's fist. Both men were on a knee. Gippal could see the madness of Shuyin burning inside of Nooj. Clenching his hand into a fist, he now was ready to unleash a buildup of rage.

Rikku was standing behind the two, only watching them fight. She was utterly powerless, as she didn't know how to fight Nooj. She knew it was the spirit of Shuyin pulling the strings and causing Nooj's attacks, just as Shuyin had done before. Incomprehensible was the thought of actually having to injure, or even kill, Nooj. Frozen still, she merely viewed on as the two men fought and bloodied each other.

Gippal had managed to knock Nooj's crutch away, though it did not leave Nooj weaponless. Before Gippal could lunge once more, Nooj pulled his gun from his side. The barrel fell straight onto Gippal's forehead, barely inches away from his skull. He stared into Nooj's tormented eyes; only the sound of the two men's breaths casted any noise in the cave.

Nooj finally spoke, whispering lowly at Gippal, "It's me whose been eternally damned, trapped inside this cage, a ruined man. But it will be your blood that stains upon my skin..."

His finger gripped the trigger, pulling back. Gippal closed his eyes, hearing the shot fired. But it fell beside him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Rikku, her hand shaking fiercely. Nooj was lying on the ground unconscious. Before Shuyin could kill the man she loved, Rikku had knocked Nooj out. Losing Yuna was already unbearable, and no more deaths would she endure.

She knelt down, shielding her face with her arm. Huffing loudly, she calmed her racing heart. Although she didn't want to hurt Nooj, she knew for all their sakes she had no choice. At least since Nooj was a leveled-headed man, he would forgive her.

"T-that...was too close," she spoke in relief, "I couldn't possibly live if..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she felt a ravaging pang in her side. Flying against the cave wall, she yelped at the harsh dent made in her ribs. Her sight dazed, and when it cleared, she saw Gippal standing in front of her. His demeanor was now that of a monster. His eyes sparked with a sorrow and anger she knew could never be Gippal's.

"I will kill you! I will see you all suffer under my hands just as I have suffered under those of Spira!" shrieked Gippal, who was possessed by Shuyin.

Rikku stood up, wiping the blood trickling down the corner of her mouth. But she was scared, tears rolled down her cheek as she shuttered uncontrollably. The worst possible thing that she could ever imagine since the death of her cousin was this. But she pulled out her two blades, and spread her feet apart in a battle stance. Shuyin and his insanity was embedded in the man she loved, and now she would have to fight him.

* * *

_**Next chapter: **Just when poor old Rikku thinks things can't get worse in her life, along comes that bastard Shuyin. She must fighter her beloved Gippal. But will she save him, or kill him?_


	42. Chapter 42 – One Ends and Another Begins

**Chapter 42 – One Ends and Another Begins**

Beads of sweat ran down her face. Her breath weighed with the resentment and fear she was feeling. Her love was glaring right in from of her, possessed by the demonic force of Shuyin. She gazed with a wrenching mix of rage and terror into his pale eyes. His eyes no longer held the joyful, warming sight they would normally have. Replacing them was the cold, piercing shot of a man torn from within.

"Rikku!" the lips of Gippal yelled, although the words were not his, "I would not expect to see you keep these unfortunate ones as company."

She harshly scoffed at him, "You know nothing about me! You don't even remember what it is to be alive anymore!"

"Perhaps..." he started, his eyes still sneering into hers, "perhaps I have. But I will not go until I've finished what I've started long ago."

Rikku shook her head violently in contention, "What could you possibly want in destroying Spira now? It won't bring her back..."

"Because Spira deserves to die!" suddenly he burst, jolting Rikku back in shock, "Not only was my love stripped away from me right before my eyes...these pyreflies have imprisoned me to my suffering eternally."

"There...there must be some way to break free..."

Shuyin shook his head, "I will reunite myself with my love. As we speak, she walks the desert path...Vegnagun will create for us a new paradise in which we can live in – happily forever."

Rikku was nearly in tears. She knew of his sorrow, the seemingly endless chain of pitiful fate jostling her heart around. Yuna was dead, and there was no changing that. But she learned to move on. Perhaps it was because of what Yuna taught her, nevertheless she conjured up the will to surpass the wall of sadness. Shuyin was still, even after a thousand solitary years, still held by it. No more was it just sorrow, but an unspeakable hatred and evil. His heart had turned black long ago. Revenge was his only focus amongst the trail of nightmares.

"Once Vegnagun rises up," he continued, now cracking a rigid smile, "I will dominate those who have separated Lenne from I."

Rikku squeezed her hands together, feeling a burning rage swelling in her. She was ready to erupt at him. The only thought holding her back was the fear of hurting Gippal. Then another glimpse of the past crept in. She recalled back to when she, Paine, and Yuna had entered the ancient arena in Zanarkand. Rikku stumbled upon an old blitzball uniform. The uniform had belonged to Shuyin – the spirit who was bent on annihilating Spira.

Her fury subsided when she realized that this man, even in all his rage, was just another human being. At one time, all he desired was to live with the woman he loved. He didn't seek destruction, he sought passion. Rikku could barely understand how someone could be so hateful. But to be driven to the brink of insanity such as Shuyin had was unfathomable. When she realized that it truly would take an unworldly amount of grief and anxiety to dredge a human into the bottom most depths of despair did she see it in his eyes. Behind the daunting, frigid eyes of Gippal hid the tattered, lonely soul of a man who had been through a hell far greater than he deserved.

She certainly didn't want Shuyin to retain control of Gippal as he had done with Nooj and Baralai. Feeling what she must do, she gripped onto her twin blades. She bent her knees, and readied for battle. She would free Gippal, even if she had to hurt him. She may have been simple-minded, but the fact that some fates are worse than others glared at her all to apparently.

Shuyin, aware that she would indeed fight him, sprinted at her. He was bound and determined to let nothing get in his way. With a tight fist, he swung at Rikku. Ducking under him, she swept for his legs, but was leapt over. Without pause they both simultaneously darted for each other. Together they missed, the other sidestepping out of the opposite's path. Shuyin continued by stringing together a series of jabs and kicks. Rikku managed to dodge the first punch, and block the second. However, his third landed in her gut, and his kick nailed her dead in the ribs. She shrieked, stumbling backwards, although she did not fall.

A daring new evil emerged from Gippal's face. His skin wrinkled, and his eyes pulsated with a wild fury more insane than he previously held. In only a moment, he transformed into an uncontrolled, unwitting beast. The true black soul of Shuyin had emerged, and it launched for Rikku. With a flurry of fists, she was battered back by his unrelenting attack. She fell hard to the soil, spitting up some blood from her mouth. Shuyin merely stood beside her, hunched over.

His face shown the mark of an execrable man. Bulging out of their sockets, his reddened eyes glowed with a sinister frenzy. Through his gaping mouth he breathed heavy. Kneeling down, he picked up a large rock. Rikku was still in a daze from his punches. She rolled onto her side, and tried to piece together the hazy image of Gippal standing beside her, his arm raised in the air.

"No one," he growled, "no one shall stop me from my..."

Suddenly a loud thud alerted Rikku, who squinted to see the figure standing behind Gippal. But Gippal had fallen to the ground, knocked unconscious. A crutch plopped itself on the ground, supporting Nooj who was leaning on it.

"N-Nooj...is that you?" Rikku asked, wobbling to her feet.

It was indeed Nooj, "Yes, it's me. That was far too close again..."

Nooj had struck Gippal in the back of the head with his crutch. A whirling wind blew around them. Both could see the swirling soul of Shuyin fly around the cave. He still carried the horrifying face. But he said nothing, and disappeared without a trace.

Rikku looked around fearfully, "Huh? Where'd he go?"

Nooj put his arm on her should, "He's gone. We're alright now."

Rikku sighed, and wiped the last bit of blood from the corner of her lips. She knelt down to examine Gippal. Aside from a very large lump on his head, he seemed normal. No more was he under the spell of Shuyin. Luckily, he did not share the fate of Nooj and Baralai. Nooj bent down to also examine the damage he had done.

"It's a good thing he doesn't use his head much." he joked, although with a melancholy tone.

Nonetheless, Rikku still let out a tiny giggle. The two of them lifted him up, although he was already beginning to regain consciousness. He shook his head around, and fuzzily looked around the dank cave.

"Man...w-what the hell happened to me..."

Rikku smiled at him, "Well, you were possessed, and Nooj had to exorcise you."

"Geez Nooj," he winced as he touched the back of his head, "ya could'a been a little more gentle."

They laughed as they started to leave the cave, but Rikku noticed a small, glowing object in the far corner where they stood. She ran to get it – it was a small sphere. Examining it carefully, she could tell it was ancient. Blowing a gross amount of dust from it, she tried to see if it still worked. Nooj and Gippal walked over to see what she had found.

"A sphere?" Nooj questioned in surprise, "What would a sphere be doing here?"

Gippal smirked, and had a quick response, "Perhaps this is what we've been looking for."

After a little tinkering, Rikku managed to activate the sphere. It flickered for a second, its hallowed circuits finally working again after so many years. A clearer picture finally appeared to them, casting a rather unusual scene – although one Rikku and Gippal could recognize instantly.

_The sand dunes of the desert loomed in the picture. Swirling gusts could been witnessed in the distance. From the skyline, it appeared the day was cloudless, with a great sun beating down upon the desert floor. Beside the person holding the sphere was another traveler, his face wrapped tightly to shield himself._

_"This desert," he spoke, his voice deep and rough, "is a horrible place. How do you possible live and thrive here?"_

_The man holding the camera keenly replied, "This is our home, where else could be better than home?"_

_After some time, the men appeared at a large temple complex. It was partially entrenched in sand, but a majority of it was above the desert. The closer they came, the more detailed the symbols upon it became. The man who accompanied the sphere-holder pointed out that they looked as if they were from Bevelle. Still, it matter little to either of them. To a large, stone archway they went. Pushing the doors open, they entered, and the camera fizzled out._

_After a few seconds of blankness, the picture came back. The men were now inside the temple, and a gigantic glowing force floated before them. Both men gasped in revelation – this must have been what they were seeking._

_"I-Incredible," stuttered the camera wielder in awe, "this must be the enormous spirit which was caged away from the priests."_

_His companion nodded, "Yes, this is the other half of their weapon. This is the second soul of Vegnagun..."_

The sphere faded to black, and shut off. All three of them stood, unknowing of how to react to what they just saw. This is what Shuyin was seeking, the second half of Vegnagun. None of them had ever heard of such a thing. No record Shinra had uncovered mentioned anything to the like. Truly it was another awkward piece to an already scrambled puzzle.

Taking the sphere with them, the three left the cave. When the doors resealed, Nooj dropped all ten Crimson Spheres to the ground. With a violent lashing, he shattered every one of them.

"No one shall endure this horror anymore." he simply said, then limped away.

Gippal and Rikku looked at each other. After what had transpired only minutes ago, they were still in a state of confusion. But each was just happy to have gotten out alive and intact. Throwing his arms around her, Gippal gave Rikku a kiss. Their lips gracefully curled with each other.

"T-that...was a little close, eh?" she chuckled lightly to him, her eyes dancing with his.

"Yeah, yeah it was...but we made it." he winked back.

Together and all in one piece, Nooj, Gippal, and Rikku ventured off for the only place they had to go – Bikanel. Whatever mysteries the home of the Al Bhed held for them, they were ready for. But for Shuyin and Vegnagun, they didn't know.

The sun shone, as it always did, with a warm and inviting feeling upon the tropical island of Besaid. Some seagulls called in the distance, and the waves were calmly splashing onto the sandy beach. Under a tree, Paine watched this tranquil environment around her, just as she had done for weeks on end. Yuna was gone, and Rikku had ran off to who knows where. Two-thirds of the Gullwings, the guys not withstanding, were gone, leaving only Paine to squander by herself.

Although she was happy to have a slow, solemn time to grieve, enough was enough. Between Brother and Buddy, things were in a state of confusion. Neither of them, nor Paine, had decided what they should do, or where they should go. All she had been doing was sitting under a palm tree listening to the waves, or chatting with Lulu and Wakka.

Not to misunderstand her, both of these were more pleasurable than almost anything she had ever experienced before. Yet this idleness was something she was not accustomed to. She had been anticipating some sort of danger or emergency to spring up – something to call the Gullwings into service. But there was nothing.

Whistling to herself, she finally got up from her post under a palm tree, and began walking back to the village. She smelled good meat cooking on a fire, which made her hungry. But before she reached the village, she spotted Lulu sitting on a large rock, the sound of the waterfall echoing in the distance.

"Lulu, what's the matter?" she asked, seeing the apparent frown of Lulu's face.

"O-oh...Paine," she muttered, snapped out of her daze, "I...I was just thinking..."

Paine glanced at her funny, not understanding what she was eluding to. Lulu sighed, and gazed up towards the sky. The wind gently tingled against her skin. Breathing in, then pausing to release it, she again faced Paine.

"It...it's just this spot. It was where I had a...a talk with Yuna." she explained, trying to muster the words out.

Paine sat down beside her, "Was it...an important one."

Lulu nodded, "Yes. It was the night before she stormed into the temple, when it was infested by fiends. She...she was so unsure of her future..."

"Hey, don't do this to yourself!" yelled Paine, whose voice flared up in volume.

Lulu sighed, comprehending what Paine said, "I know, and I'm not. It's just so hard, as every time I pass this rock, I can't help but think of that night."

Paine calmed, shaking her head at Lulu. Everywhere she looked as well she was reminded of Yuna. For such a small girl, she thought, she left a large imprint on the people she knew. Life seemed so much more barren without her, but she would have to find something else to fill it with – that is, if there was something else.

Lulu jumped up suddenly, catching Paine off guard, "I can't sit here and brood. Let's get something to eat – that aroma smells good."

Paine replied with a vivid smile, and the two left for the village. In the center, the Aurochs were preparing a feast in the hopes that Lulu would have a healthy child. It was only less than a month until she was to deliver. Past the loss of their beloved summoner, times were at their highest in Besaid.

"There ya are Lu," clamored Wakka, his hands on his hips, "we can't have this big meal without you."

She laughed at her silly husband, and embraced him. He tickled at the plump bulge in her stomach, and quickly got his hand slapped away. Paine smiled on, shaking her head at his never ending stupidity. Sitting down, she was carved up a nice hunk of meat, along with a wide variety of indigenous vegetables. After taking a few bites, she felt fulfilled, at least nutritionally speaking. The air was starting to cool, and the sun as lowering in the evening sky.

Turning her head, she noticed Buddy running towards them. There was plenty for everyone, so she wasn't sure why he was sprinting. Then she saw he had a slip of paper in his hand. Huff and puffing, he bent down next to her.

"Whew! W-we might h-have something...to do now." he managed to say in between his gasps for air.

"Ok, ok...just breath, then tell me."

One he caught his breath, he handed her the paper he was holding, "I received this from Nhadala just a few minutes ago."

Thinking for a moment, Paine didn't quite realize who that was, "Do we know someone named Nhadala?"

"Yeah, she was that Al Bhed woman who Yuna dug for in the desert."

"Oh yeah! But...what does she want from us. Surely she must know..."

Buddy pointed at the paper, "She wants us to meet her at her camp here. Says she's found something real big there, and they need our help to crack it."

"Big like what?"

"Spheres! She uncovered a whole slew of ancient spheres and can't get them to work. She wants us to take a look at them." he declared with a sense of appetite to his words.

Paine didn't need to think over her answer, "Sounds great! It's high time the Gullwings get back into action!"

Buddy was as joyous as she was. Both he, Brother, and Shinra were bored out of their skulls with no spheres to hunt for. Now that adventured had recaptured them, they were ready to set sail once more. As to not leave too abruptly, they decided to hold off until tomorrow. Saying their goodbyes to everyone, Paine packed up her belonging onto the Celsius. Even Barkeep was enthused, as he was preparing the bar for its grand reopening.

That night, Paine laid in her cozy bed beneath a bamboo roof. She would miss Besaid and all its gorgeous offerings. Even though the call of adventure rang loud inside of her, she knew now that this was the place where she would eventually settle down in – when the time was right.

Outside her window, the stars shone with a glimmering brightness that made it easy for her to lull off to sleep. She gathered as much pleasure from this comfortable sleep as she could, just in case things would get rough in the future. Just as it was for Yuna, Paine's future remained shrouded just out of her sight. But because of Yuna, she could conjure the courage to continue on, in the face of any adversity. But tonight, there was nothing but calm silence.

* * *

_**Next chapter: **The Gullwings leave for Bikanel Island. There, Paine and crew meet up with Yuna's favorite digging master, Nhadala. But they also come across the mysterious Lenne. Shocked to find someone else with that familiar name, Paine is suspicious of who she is, and of her intentions._


	43. Chapter 43 – Two Souls Meet

**Chapter 43 – Two Souls Meet**

The bright blue ocean waves blurred to a golden hue in the distance as the Celsius neared Bikanel Island. While the view was beautiful, Paine knew that appearances could be quite deceiving. After the many stops Yuna made her suffer through, she could never forget how miserably hot that lousy desert was. Still, from afar it looked amazing. With a bird's eye perspective, the ground glistened with a warm, blond glow. Paine always had to laugh, as its beaming yellowness paralleled the vibrant yellow hair of the Al Bhed.

The calming sight outside the window from her bed gave her a backdrop in which to think upon. She tried to keep her mind off the silence of the cabin. There were three beds there, but only one of them remained occupied. With Yuna and Rikku gone, times were very lonely for Paine. She no longer had the crutches of them to lean on. Right up until Yuna's death, she increasingly enjoyed herself when they talked, even if it was painful near the end. She also was happy to converse with Rikku. Feeling compelled to fill Yuna's shoes, Paine wanted to shelter her. But with her abrupt disappearance, even that was no longer possible.

Slumping her back onto the soft bed, she stared at the ceiling, wondering how Rikku was. It had been almost three weeks since she ran away in the middle of the night. And the only message she left gave no clue as to where she went, or with whom she was with. "_Don't wait for me Gullwings. I'll be gone for a little bit, but don't think I'm abandoning you. Sorry to leave so fast, but I had to. I'll explain when I come back," _her words spoke, yet gave nothing as to why she suddenly vanished. It had bothered Paine immensely, but there was nothing she could do about it. Quaintly she continued on, keeping busy with Lulu, Wakka, and the guys. She did take comfort in knowing how tough Rikku could be in the face of danger.

Finally, she thought to herself, some sort of adventure would unfold. At the very least, there was action, and they weren't staying in the same place. There was nothing wrong with Besaid for her, but she was antagonized by the sheer boringness of her stay. She figured she was too young yet to settle down in any one particular spot. Then she began to wonder what Nhadala of all people would want from the Gullwings. Sure, they were good hunters of spheres. But the problem she had might be a little out of their league. Paine didn't know much about tinkering with spheres, especially the ancient ones. Rikku of all people would be the best at it.

The desert wasn't the place she was most fond of in Spira. Sweating all day, then freezing during the night sucked something awful. She couldn't comprehend why the Al Bhed loved it so much. Still, it must have appeal to certain people, and that's why they lived there.

Peering outside the window again, she saw that they were crossing over land. Dune after countless dune of sand passed under the ship. Some of the updrafts of air blew the sparkling sand onto the ship. Soon the camp came into view. Like little ants, the workers were busy moving and digging. The ship touched down, becoming covered with the whipping sand from underneath it. Brother opened the hatch, and they all went out to greet Nhadala, who was awaiting their arrival.

"Thank you for coming Gullwings." engaged Nhadala with an inviting smile.

Paine nodded, and shook her hand, "Of course."

Buddy and Brother popped out of the ship, and gave a cheer. For them, this was the first time they had been to their home turf in a long while. Even Shinra scampered out gleefully. Nhadala looked around, as if someone was missing.

"Um, aren't there more of you?" she questioned with a strange expression.

"Heh, well there was," she began apprehensively, "Rikku left us a little while ago, and Yuna..."

Nhadala waved her hand, "Say on more. We're just hopeful that you can solve this very strange mystery with the spheres we have."

"We'll try the best we can. So, what is this problem?"

"You don't have to worry about it right this moment. I'll explain everything over dinner."

Nhadala led the Gullwings to a large tent, where they could smell food cooking. Many workers were there eating. Paine was amazed at how adept they were at living with goggles and masks on all the time – even when they were dining. As strange as she knew the Al Bhed could be, mostly from Rikku, it did register that this was a practical thing to do. She was only there for five minutes, and already was her hair full of sand.

Nhadala led her to the end of one of the tables. Following her were two Al Bhed men, one tall and stocky and the other short and talkative. They, too, sat down beside her. The shorter one glanced up and down Paine. He shot a sharp and seducing glance, which Paine didn't know how to react to.

"Behave Rhala," roared Nhadala from behind, smacking upside the head, "these are our guests!"

He stuck out his tongue, "Geez battle-ax, I didn't mean no harm."

His friend shook his head in laughter, "Yeah...he never means any harm."

Paine cracked up at their exchange. She forgot how humorous the Al Bhed could be. Yet another man, this one tall and lean, came over and sat across from Gadrock. He was much more shy and polite in his mannerisms.

"My name is Gadrock, nice to meet you." he greeted, and tipped his head.

"Paine," she replied blushingly, "nice to meet you too."

After a little conversation, Paine found herself very intrigued and impressed with Gadrock. While he seemed timid at first, she discovered him to be intelligent, as well as level-headed. The same could not be said for his friend, who was completely opposite. Rhala was a brash-acting, smooth-talking womanizer. At least, that was what Paine came to think of him. While she figured he wasn't nearly as bad as his terrible manners would make him out to be, she didn't want to be alone anywhere near him. Over dinner, she told them some about her life, and about the Gullwings. They were particularly interested in the crazy stories of what the girls went through.

"So, what is it exactly that you Gullwings do anyway?" asked Rhala with a twinkle in his eye.

Paine nervously replied, "Well...we fly around Spira looking for spheres. Heh, I guess you could say we're just a bunch of adventurers."

"That certainly sounds cool, though." conveyed Gadrock.

"Man, why couldn't we have gotten a cool gig like that?"

The three of them laughed at Rhala's comment. Paine couldn't imagine having someone like him around. Rikku was a handful enough. Maybe all the Al Bhed were that crazy. Except, she realized, for Nhadala. She was growling at Rhala again.

"Ok, ok...time to get down to business..."

She pulled out one of the ancient spheres. It was smaller than the normal spheres Paine was used to finding. It was colored turquoises, and had a dull gloss to it. Nevertheless, it showed a faded glint of the past it contained. Paine was instantly captured by its mystery. And, as Nhadala explained, there were more of these. Becoming hooked, Paine searched all over it, wondering what lied within.

"I'm sure Shinra can figure something out. He's our resident genius." she happily stated, herself hoping he could figure things out.

Nhadala's lips curled into a big smile, "Excellent! I'll have Lenne send over the rest of them for Shinra to examine."

Paine's face transformed instantaneous, "W-who?"

"Lenne. She's the camp's good luck charm." giggled Nhadala, not noticing Paine's awestruck expression.

Paine, still taken aghast, set back in her chair. What were the odds that somebody, here of all places, would have the name Lenne. She pondered if this person had anything to do with Shuyin. Then she shook her head, remembering that she died over a thousand years ago. Still, in the back of her mind lingered the fragile connection Yuna made with the name of that woman.

"S-so," Paine staggered, "is she knowledgeable with old spheres?"

Nhadala shook her head, "Unfortunately not. Though she is full of surprises, as I've found out these past few weeks."

She wiped off her mouth and set down her napkin. With dinner finish, Nhadala wasted no time in taking Paine to the spheres. Yet, nagging in her brain was who this Lenne woman could be. Soon she would be meeting her. To the small headquarters Paine followed. It was an actually constructed building, as opposed to the flimsy tents and shanties that were scattered around the camp. In a cramped, dim room the spheres were held.

There were fourteen of them in all. Each copied the lusterless presence of the last. Their worn-over turquoise color didn't fill Paine with any hope of making them work. Still, she knew Shinra was a miracle worker with hard-to-do puzzles like this. She had her faith. Another person came in behind them.

"Ah, there you are Lenne," she waved, extending her hand out towards Paine, "this is Paine. She and her friends will be helping us solve the sphere mystery."

"Please to meet you," she politely greeted to Paine, who wasn't sure of what she saw.

The woman stood slightly shorter than Paine. Her face was masked by a pair of goggles that covered everything. The dirty, pale yellow color of them, as well as its pitch-black lenses, gave no indication of the face behind which it covered. It also muffled her voice, giving it a dampened, hidden sound. The rest of her was adorned by a typical Al Bhed worker's suit, and a dark blue cloak. However, she was wearing no gloves. The hand which Paine shook was small and fragile. Her grip was equally as meager.

Nhadala began giving her orders, "Alright Lenne. Take Paine through what we've found so far. Tomorrow you can take her through the site."

She nodded for her reply, and started talking with Paine, "What would you like to know first?"

Paine thought for a moment, "Well...I dunno. How about how the hell you found these old things?"

Lenne giggled slightly under her mask, but her tone had a nervous resonance to it, "It was thanks to Rin. He discovered it on his last journey here. We only dug it up a few weeks ago."

"Huh..." Paine quaintly replied in short surprise, "no kidding."

She still wasn't sure of how to approach Lenne. Although it seemed strange for her to be so apprehensive about it, she remained uneasy in her presence. She couldn't place her finger on it, but something was amiss about her. On the other side, Lenne stood with a shaky feeling. She couldn't look into Paine's eyes, and felt flustered when she tried to speak.

Lenne finally broke the precarious silence, "Uh...please...let's go outside of this dark room to talk. I-It isn't too much more pleasant, but it isn't that bad here."

Paine didn't respond, and merely followed her to the outside. The air was warmer than inside the building, but it was much clearer as well. A low whirl of sand twisted up into the air near them, giving Paine an eerie parallel to how she was feeling inside. Shaking her head, she tried to rid herself of such an illogical emotion.

Lenne also attempted the same, "Where do you live?"

"Me? Oh...well, I don't really live in one place. Being a sphere hunter, we travel all over the place."

"Are you the leader of..what do you call yourselves...the Gullwings?"

Paine began to relax some, "Heh, not really. I think officially Brother is supposed to run things – it is his ship after all. But he's such a dolt we'd all be dead by now if called the shots."

Responding with a lightened laugh, Lenne wondered who this Brother was. She told her that Brother, as well as Buddy and Shinra, were Al Bhed. She was shocked, but didn't find it peculiar. Plenty of the Al Bhed she knew at this camp had their fair share of quirks. She then explained that she wasn't Al Bhed, much to Paine's astonishment. She assumed all the people working in the encampment were Al Bhed. Then again, because you couldn't tell from the masks who someone was, she thought that she had made a bad judgment call. It also caused her think again about who Lenne might be under the mask and cloak.

"I came here to get away," Lenne suddenly blurted, in an almost confessional manner, "there was just too much weighing on me. You know, kind of like these spheres..."

"What do you mean by that?" questioned Paine, giving her an odd look.

For a moment, Lenne wondered herself, then spoke, "See, these sphere contain the far past. They are burdened by time and man to carry on memories of many years ago. Such ancient relics...eventually corrode and break underneath the stress. Heh...that's why I believe they don't work."

To Paine, these words held a deep sense of sadness. They were almost tragic in nature – themselves weighed with an eternity of anxiety. Even though Paine couldn't see beyond her mask, she imagined Lenne was wearing a crestfallen expression. But once she contemplated her words, they seemed to lift on more than just that. Paine realized that she, too, joined the Gullwings originally to dodge her own grievances. While that was no longer the reason she was a sphere hunter, it is what caused her to become one in the first place.

"Maybe your right..." she muffled under her breath.

Lenne made a more cheerful sound from under her mask, "No matter though. I'm sure you can figure out a way to unlock these old spheres."

"I certainly hope so. Your boss doesn't seem to be one who likes disappointment."

The two woman laughed at her joke, both sharing some relief of uptightness. Paine still held her wonders about Lenne. She wanted to know more about her. And that time she would have; tomorrow they were set to go to the temple site.

The sun had gone below the mounds of sand, and the twilight sky held a plethora of sparkling stars. While the air of chilled, it held still. Paine sat outside of her tent, silently staring up at the midnight blue of the sky. Crossing amongst the moon and the stars were a line of deep gray clouds. For the first time in her life, Paine felt a positive feeling while being in the desert. She had time to relax before tomorrow.

The crazy people of the desert, meaning the Al Bhed, were a handful for her to handle. Each one them, it seemed, had some nutty flavor about them – each different than the next. Putting her head down, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. It was an adventure she sought, and she now knew it was an adventure she would get.

Then that woman came into her mind. Looking up again, she went through everything about Lenne. Although she didn't see much, some of her personality shown through the rough and leathery exterior of her appearance. Unsure of herself, but humbly filled with wisdom, Lenne implied her complexity and depth through her sorrowful words. Still, in name only she bothered her. Pained remembered Yuna mentioning the name – Lenne. She was the lover of Shuyin, the soul who set Kinoc free – the soul that almost devoured she and her friends two years ago.

Standing up, she brushed off the sand from herself. Onto the Celsius's plank she went up, stretching her arms in a yawn. She was more than ready for bed. Too much to think about was what she grumbled to herself before she went inside. At least, she hoped, tomorrow would be more about action.

Away from the ship, was Lenne in her small shanty of a home. Curled up in her blanket, she tried to fall asleep, but with no luck. Breathing in and out deeply made things no better. A mixture of anxiety and distress made for a damning tonic to hard to swallow. A firing of worry bellowed in her mind. To her fortune so far, no one had stumbled upon the gate to the Farplane. Still, the words Shuyin spoke to her haunted her everlastingly.

_I will conqueror this world. With me at the top, there will be no more battling, only I will be the dominate force in Spira. This world will be ours Lenne, just for you and me. I couldn't protect you before, but I will now – now and forever._

She didn't want him to destroy Spira. However, she knew he would go to no ends to bring her happiness, no matter how misguided his beliefs may be. With Paine now investigating into the temple, she wasn't sure how she was going to keep someone so tactful from discovering him. It he was found out, there was no telling what might happen.

And she liked Paine. The Gullwings, especially her, were nice people. If they met, she knew it would be certain disaster. Shuyin, she wondered endlessly, why did he have to be so bent on revenge? Was his lust for the fall of Spira so great that he could not be turned? With Vegnagun in his possession, he had the means to enact any cataclysm he wanted. In her tossing and turning, she remained disturbed by those questions. Not even the night could shadow her mind from them. She felt an impending doom marching forth, echoing fear, even in her dreams.

* * *

_**Next chapter: **Paine goes to investigate the mysterious temple buried deep within the sand. She is amazed by the ancient secrets it held, as well as its dangers. And another trio of adventurers have finally made there way to Bikanel. But there is more going on in the sand than just adventure. The fiends of the desert are becoming agitated, and are starting to attack the diggers with frequency._


	44. Chapter 44 – Mysteries and Reunions

**Chapter 44 – Mysteries and Reunions**

_Sorry it's been so long since the last chapter (almost a month). School's been real busy, so I haven't had a lot of time to write. Anyway, I should be getting back on track from now on. More goodness to come!_

* * *

If there was one essential thing Paine learned from the Al Bhed, it was never to go anywhere in the desert without a mask and goggles. At any given moment, Bikanel would belch a pile of sand into her face. Becoming increasingly aggravated, she gave in. Donning a pair of ugly red goggles and a white mask that resembled a surgeon's, she walked outside her tent. Today she would ride out to the temple in the hopes of uncovering a way to make the mysterious spheres functional again.

The roaring engines of Old Sally tore up a giant cloud of sand around Paine. She coughed as her eyes began to water. Quickly she put on her goggles. Once her eyes stopped tearing, she hopped aboard the rusty hovercraft. Nervously she examined its structure, and found herself wondering if they were actually going to make it to the camp in one piece.

Glancing over at her new friend, Lenne, put her to some ease. She had no gesture of worry in her posture, as she climbed on with no hesitation. The same was seen with Nhadala, Gadrock, and Rhala. Thinking to herself, she couldn't help but laugh at the fact that she was more afraid of a hovercraft than leaving to the middle of nowhere with a bunch of strangers. Still, she knew they were reliable – except for maybe Rhala. She was still unsure of him.

It would have been nice to have at least one of the Gullwings accompany her. But, they were busy examining the spheres. Shinra was hard at work running every test he knew to see how to reactivate them. Brother was amazed at the lights show that was emanating from the lab of the Celsius. Buddy was frantically distraught, hoping he wouldn't blow anything up.

"How far away is this temple place?" Paine asked loudly to Nhadala, trying to funnel her voice with her hands.

"Um, about an hour away," she replied, in an almost shout, "so enjoy the scenery!"

Paine shook her head. She fully understood what bland and graceless landscape was awaiting her. But to her surprise, she was presented with a magnificent sunrise over the tall dunes of the desert. The orangish sky highlighted the tan ground which surrounded her more impressively than her imagination had let on. Though once the sun had risen, and the heat began to kick in, she lost her affinity for the desert again.

The ride was bumpy and boring. Paine sat, thumping up and down in her seat, glancing up and down Lenne. So similar yet so different was what was fluttering through her mind. Although she wondered what kind of person lied beneath the dark cloak and heavy clothing, it seemed to be neither that of Yuna or a thousand year old ghost. After a while, she finally gathered the courage to speak, or rather yell, to her.

"How can you stand the dullness of the desert?" she started with a safe question.

Lenne looked around, reflecting for a second, "Well, sometimes bland is better than the chaos that most of Spira goes through!"

"I suppose your right, but it still gets on my nerves!" she laughed back.

Lenne nodded, "I certainly can understand why!

"So, what do you plan on getting from all this digging...if you don't mind me asking."

"Get? Oh...to be alone really! It's nice..."

Paine, underneath her goggles, curled her eyebrows in confusion. She had no clue as to what Lenne meant. She wasn't alone out here. Also, how could being secluded be nice. To Paine, the times she was alone were some of her most dreadful.

"But surely with all your friends around you can't get much alone time!" she chuckled, trying to ease her own tension.

"Well...it's more a feeling of being disconnected! There's too much pain in Spira anymore! If I didn't get away...I'd die!"

Paine froze in her rickety seat. Those last word struck a chord deep in Paine's heart. She understood pain, and all that it causes. After Yuna died, she knew all too well the hell it created. But to hear someone else say words along those lines scared her. Not only that, the calm, unsettled composure with which she said it disturbed Paine furthermore. She wanted to ask what the source of all that pain was, but her lips quivered too much to speak.

For the remainder of the voyage, Paine sat hush, nervously tapping her fingers on her leg. The more she talked with Lenne, the more she was creeped out. In a way, she felt guilty by it. Lenne seemed like a kind and considerate person, much like Yuna. But the words with which she spoke were too unsettling for Paine to digest.

But Paine was fortunate, as the desert was calm. No sandstorms made their trip a speedy one. Coming up to the excavation site, Paine saw some large machinery, as well as some makeshift tents. Then she noticed a large stone wall with an entrance way.

"Is that the temple?" she asked Nhadala, her mind refocusing on the mission.

"Yeah," she replied gleefully," most of it's underground. It's a gigantic complex. It took us over a full week to unearth all the rooms."

"No kidding? What do you think went on there?"

Nhadala pointed to Gadrock, "Ask him. He's an expert on historical stuff."

Gadrock chuckled, and rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I read a lot of books."

"Nerdy as always," snickered Rhala, smacking his friend in the arm.

He pushed him back laughing, "Don't mind the village idiot. Anyway, I myself am not totally sure what this temple was used for."

"Do you have any ideas?" Paine probed.

"Heh, yeah. From what I could gather, it was built sometime in the last millennium. How or why Yevon did it baffles me. Although there is one area we haven't gotten to yet..."

Pilot halted the hovercraft. Outside just a few feet away was the temple. Up close, it didn't look as grand as a typical Yevon temple. Then again, appearances, especially with Yevon, were always deceiving. Considering how large Gadrock told her it was, she knew some sort of surprise was held beneath the sand.

"Everyone out." ordered Nhadala, who was raring to go.

Taking out their equipment, the group ventured into the temple. Just as it was before, the temple held a musty scent. The long, stretching corridors were pitch black, save for the light from the flashlights everyone held. Most of the rooms were empty, except for some dust and debris. To Paine, this was every bit as uninviting as the other Yevon temples were.

"We'll go here first." pointed Nhadala to an oblong room.

Inside, there was a large altar-like structure. Above it was a giant engraving. Shining her flashlight onto it, Paine squinted to make out the carvings. The enormous stone slab showed a circle pattern with a pyramid in the center. From it, numerous wavy lines were emanating.

Nhadala glanced over at Paine and smiled, "You look as confused as I was."

"It certainly is strange," Paine smirked, "any idea of what it's supposed to mean?"

"Nope..." she answered concisely, "it's a mystery."

"Ugh...just what we need."

Lenne suddenly interjected, "You know...to me, those lines seem like pyreflies."

Paine scratched her head, "Hmm...heh, I guess they could be. Still doesn't make any sense though."

"Well anyway," sighed Nhadala as she began to walk from the room, "I'll show you the place where we can't enter yet."

Coming to a stairwell, they stepped down the narrow, twisted stairs. Even though it was only a level lower, the temperature dropped considerably. Paine shivered as she began to see her breath in the frigid air. The air was brisk, but seemed more fresh than above. Coming to a large, thick pair of doors, they stopped.

"Here's where we get stuck." Nhadala explained, gesturing to the door with her hand.

Paine jerked the one door's handle, but it wouldn't budge. She then gave it a shove, but with the same result. With a grunt she sneered at the doors. After a few kicks, she determined that some more brute force was needed. In a dazzling array, she drew her sword. It began to glow red, and with a magnificent swing, she sliced at the doors, only to be repelled by their might. A glowing green glyph appeared on the doors.

Nhadala laughed, "Heh, we tried that already. We had about the same luck."

Paine embarrassingly picked herself off the ground, "Thanks for warning me."

"The doors must be sealed with some kind of magic." Gadrock illustrated, pointing to the glyph.

After a few seconds, the glyph disappeared as though it never existed. Paine grumbled under her breath, and put away her sword. Looking more intently at the doors, she saw no indication of how to remove the seal, nor even what might be inside. Running her hand against its surface offered no help either.

"This is a real puzzle."

Further down the corridor was the room where Nhadala's spheres were kept. Fourteen pedestals were lined up in two rows across the room.

"Is that where you found them?" asked Paine.

Gadrock nodded, "Yep, they were sitting all cozy in there."

"Cozy is right...they were a real pain to pry out." complained Rhala.

"Was there anything else in here?"

"Nah," Rhala shook his head, "most of this place was empty."

Paine rubbed the back of her head. Letting out a sigh, she wondered what good she could do. Her only hope was that Shinra could uncover something back on the Celsius. Meanwhile, the group went back to the surface. It was midday, and everyone was starving. Rhala and Gadrock brought out the container of what the Al Bhed called food. Although it didn't look appetizing, Paine's taste buds would have to suffer, as her gurgling stomach needed grub.

The day was intensely hot, a total reversal from the cold depths of the temple. Paine was just happy to be in the light. Spending too much time in a desolate Yevon temple spooked her out. Thoughts of Bevelle came into her mind. Three times did she battle beneath the streets of the city, in one of Spira's most horrid secrets. She also thought of the fights in Besaid, Kilika, Djose, and Macalania. Those were some of her hardest times. It was also the time she saw her friend deteriorate before her eyes. Perhaps that was why she related Yuna so much with Lenne.

Lenne was soft spoken, but seemed to have a determined spirit in her voice. How casually she spoke of loneliness and death reminded Paine of how Yuna must have felt. After she thought she pushed Garik to his death, Yuna could hardly function. She never was herself after that incident. The bags of her eyes were always blackened, and her demeanor was shallow and depressed.

When Lenne said she had to get away or else she'd die made sense to Paine once she thought about it. If Yuna had stopped all this madness with spheres, fighting, and Kinoc, she probably would have been alright. Each time she tried to persuade Yuna to go home to Besaid, it always came out feeble. And afterwards, she would kick herself for not being more forceful. If she had only one regret in her life, not protecting Yuna enough was it.

For her, it was needless to say that the past was the past. There was nothing she could do to bring Yuna back. Nevertheless, it was so hard for her to let go. Just as the hurtful memories of the Crimson Squad haunted her thoughts, so did Yuna's death.

Interrupting their lunch was shattering rumble. The sand in the dunes shook with a fury. Everyone darted their heads around, searching for what could be causing such a disturbance. In the distance, a swarm of fiends was stampeding across the desert. Nhadala immediately went for her radio.

"Come in base! This is Nhadala, come in!" she yelled into her headset.

"Yes, Nhadala! bzzt We are under attack!" crackled a reply.

"What's your status?"

"Fiends are bzzt we are under atta-"

A final shock burst from the radio before it fell silent. Nhadala screamed into it a few times, but there was no answer. She motioned for Pilot to start the hovercraft. Everyone jumped in, and they sped back to the base. The army of fiends had scattered into two groups, neither of which were heading towards the base. Nhadala was partially relieved, but still worried sick about her men.

When the camp appeared over the dunes, she immediately brought out her binoculars, seeing many fiends attacking the workers. She yelled for Pilot to floor it, and they zoomed across the sand at maximum velocity. Paine believed the hovercraft was going to blow up, as everything was vibrating violently, and smoke poured out of the engine. Yet they made it, and just in time. A couple of fiends had almost broken into the Celsius. Brother and Buddy were desperately trying to shoot them off the deck.

"Kad uvv so creb! Oui'na clnydlrehk so byehd! Get off my ship! You're scratching my paint!" Brother screamed, waving a broom handle at the fiends.

One of the fiends, a long centipede-looking monster, roared at Brother, who all but jumped out of his skin. Nearly following on his back, he retracted his offensive stance and slowly stepped back. Paine, seeing his dilemma, leaped off of the still-moving hovercraft and onto the Celsius. In one, blinding motion, she unsheathed her sword and took a gigantic swing at the fiend, cleaving it in half.

"Paine! You made it just in time..." huffed Brother, happy to see her back.

Nodding quickly, she looked around. More fiends were attaching themselves to the ship. Shinra was using his blaster rifle to take care of them. Around the camp, many of the Al Bhed were in hand-to-hand combat with them – and losing. With all her fury, her slid down the ship, and started hacking away at any fiend still moving. It was complete chaos in the camp, with buildings now smoldering in fire from the fiend's destruction.

Against a wall Lenne stood, a snarling fiend in front of her. Masked by its tall shadow, the beastly double headed creature took a swing with its enormous tail. Nimbly she hopped over it, but got hit by its slapping arm. Her body crushed against the stone wall. She let out a terrifying yelp. Leaning its head back, the fiend gathered an icy blue ball of energy into its mouth. Readying to fire, it burst from within.

Lenne, still woozy from the hit she took, saw a trio of figures standing behind where the fiend once was. But before she could get a good look at them, they left. Meanwhile, Paine was trying to save everyone she could. Gadrock and Rhala, with their heavy artillery, were repelling the wave of fiends. Pilot used the hovercraft to ram them away. Picking up an injured Al Bhed, Paine carried her towards the Celsius. She handed her to Brother.

"Take this woman. I'm going back into the fight." she ordered, her eyes burning with anger.

Brother, noticing her battle rage was in full gear, simply obeyed and took the woman away. Redrawing her sword, Paine ran to the last area which still had fiends. Rhala was in trouble. He had used up all his ammunition, and was desperately dodging the relentless attacks from two fiends. Paine witnessed one of their slimy hands nailing Rhala hard, sending him flying backwards into the sandy ground.

With a pained shriek, she fired a series of dark balls from her body, killing one of the fiends. However, it had little effect on the other one. However, she did accomplish in attracting its undivided attention. Rapidly it pounced for her, causing her to stumble on some debris behind her. Falling backwards, she dropped her sword, and smacked her head hard on the ground.

The fiend pounded its fist for the ground, but was stopped by an explosion to its side, tearing off one of its arms. Screaming hideously, it turned to see who attacked it. Before it was a small, yet firmly standing Al Bhed girl. Sticking her tongue out at it, she launched herself into the air, and swiped with a series of slashes at the beast with her blades. A line of shots rang out from its other side. Blowing a hole straight through the fiend, another tall, sharply-defined Al Bhed man stood, smirking at his accomplishment.

"Are you alright, Paine?" asked a very familiar voice.

Looking up, Paine squinted her eyes, "Nooj? I-is that you?"

"Yeah it is. Looks like you took a nice bump on the head."

Rikku ran over to her friend, "Long time no see. Did ya miss me?"

Nooj shook his head at Gippal, who complied with a sigh of his own. No matter how many life-threatening mission she could go through, Rikku was never going to have a serious attitude. Lovingly, she hugged Paine, who thankfully wasn't hurt more than the bruise on the head. Amazed that Rikku of all people came to her rescue, grappled tightly onto her, giving her a massive noggie. Nooj and Gippal laughed, but quickly stopped after surveying the area. Much of the camp was destroyed. Luckily it seemed, only a few Al Bhed were seriously injured. Limping towards them, Nhadala waved to Paine.

"You alright?" she asked, with a bitter tone to her voice.

Paine nodded, but saw blood dripping from her leg, "Hey, you're the one whose injured. You should..."

"I'm fine," she scoffed, and continued to on, "I need to take care of my workers first."

Paine, knowing her resolve was more than enough to keep her going, smiled. Standing up, she and the rest of the reunited gang headed for the Celsius. On top was Buddy and Shinra, examining the damage done to the ship. Buddy was down on the ground, helping the wounded with the ship's first aid supplies.

One of those people was Lenne. As soon as she noticed, Paine rushed over to see if she was okay. Kneeling down, she saw that Buddy had already taken care of her. Her legs were bandages, as well as her left hand.

"Hey, how are you feeling." she asked softly.

Lenne smiled, and put her wrapped hand on Paine's arm, "Don't worry about me. It's nothing I haven't endured before. Just stay by my side, please..."

A little taken by her request, she wasn't sure how to respond. The tight grip of Lenne's injured hand stopped any impulses of Paine to leave. If all she wanted was comfort, than that was what Paine would give her.

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Paine and Rikku are finally reunited! Along with Nhadala, Nooj, and Gippal, they go back to the temple. There they look to find the answer to the raging fiends, and the mystery behind the unopenable doors._


	45. Chapter 45 – Setting the Stage

**Chapter 45 – Setting the Stage**

Eventually the pain in Lenne's eyes subsided, and she calmed. Paine herself was relieved – seeing a person in such torrent reminded her too greatly of the past. The stronghold Lenne on her hand relaxed. Closing her eyes, Lenne now rested peacefully. Placing her arm gently by her side, Paine went to fetch another length of bandages for her arm.

Stopping the bleeding, Paine rewrapped her arm. She was asleep now, her body no longer pained and saddened. Instead, it was replaced with a smooth, soft passivity. As the gentle desert wind crossed with Paine's hair, she couldn't help but be consumed by the thoughts and memories of Yuna. The two, so similar in their spirits, twisted together in her mind. But she wasn't about to get emotional.

Seeing Lenne asleep allowed her to go see her other dear friend. On the other side of the Celsius, she found Rikku in a heated argument with her brother. While Brother was in a fit over her disappearance, as he rightly should have, Paine was just glad to see Rikku again. All of them were dumbfounded to find Rikku missing in the middle of the night. Reading her note, Paine wondered what could have possessed her to run away. Even Wakka went crazy, and searched the entire island top to bottom looking for her.

"Ruf luimt oui ryja zicd mavd eh dra settma uv dra hekrd fedruid y funt uv aqbmyehehk? (How could you have just left in the middle of the night without a word of explaining?)" Brother yelled, scolding his little sister profusely.

Rikku argued back, "E dumt oui, Gippal lysa du sa yht cyet fa ryt du ku pavuna ra aqbmyehat yhodrehk! (I told you, Gippal came to me and said we had to go before he explained anything!)"

Paine smiled. Watching the two of them duke it out made her feel warm inside, for some odd reason. Things were back in order, as the remaining Gullwing crew was reunited. Even better, she thought, was knowing that Rikku didn't need taken care of. She was more than capable of handling herself on her own.

Prancing up to Rikku, she put her in a headlock, giving her a nasty noogie, "How about less arguing and more hugging!"

"Uh, hey!" Rikku laughed, joyed to hear Paine's voice.

Rikku looked with cheerful glee into Paine's eyes, "Hiya. Did ya miss me?"

"Huf fa'na esbundyhd du oui... (Now we're important to you...)" Brother huffed.

Paine swatted her hand at Brother, "Of course we are. Pay no attention to him. But..."

"But what?" asked Rikku, flipping Paine a raised eyebrow.

"Just where the hell did Nooj and Gippal come from in all this?"

Rikku giggled, and explained the whole incident. To Brother and Paine, it was quite a tale. Taking on Bevelle guards, and even Shuyin himself inflamed Brother even more about the whole debacle. Yet Rikku didn't halt her proud tone. In the corner of her eye, Paine spotted Gippal and Nooj walking towards them.

Gippal slapped Rikku on the butt, not to Brother's favor, "Hey girls! And uh, Brother...heh, what's up?"

Brother was about to explode, but Paine stepped in front of him, "Well, Rikku just explained the little foray you guys had."

"Oh did she," he asked nervously, glancing over at Rikku wondering what she said, "that's cool. She's not such a dope anymore."

Nooj merely stood, shaking his head ever so slightly, "She may even have exceeded Gippal now. Perhaps we have a new king of stupidity."

Paine couldn't help but crack out laughing, surprised by Nooj's uncharacteristic joke, "Heh, that's hard to believe."

"Ahem!" burst Gippal, "anyway, let's tell them what we wanted to, Nooj!"

Nooj smirked at his friend, and explained the adventures he and Gippal went through prior to meeting up with Rikku. From the Farplane, they chased Shuyin all over Spira. Learning his plan piece by bitter piece, they uncovered his grand scheme. Long ago, he wanted to capture Vegnagun in order to stop the war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. For his love, Lenne, he risked his life.

In Zanarkand, he found her there on a mission. Acting hastily, he made a break for the monster, but was found and killed by Bevelle guards, along with his lover. However, his spirit lingered, and haunted the underground of Bevelle for many years. Eventually, he was sealed in Mushroom Rock. It was to be for eternity – or at least until he dissipated from existence. However, neither of those happened.

Instead, in the cave he was sealed away in, he discovered a mysterious sphere. It was the very same one they found left behind in the cave when they battled his ghost. On it was the journeys of two men, who were unknown to them. In the desert, they arrived at a temple – a temple which held a part of Vegnagun.

This was this reason Shuyin had never attacked, even when he stole Vegnagun. The beast was incomplete. He needed what the men called the "second soul." Whatever it was, it was probably buried somewhere in Bikanel. This was the key to unlocking Vegnagun's true devastating potential.

"Then I think it's obvious to where that temple is." noted Paine grievously.

Gippal and Nooj merely stared at her ominously. She hadn't explained to them what the Machine Faction had revealed that was buried under the sand. Once learning about the mysterious temple, the two men immediately wanted to investigate it.

"That must be the temple in the sphere!" declared Gippal, smacking his fist onto his palm.

Nooj nodded, "Where else could such a thing exist?"

Affirming their position, they demanded to go to the temple. Paine, on the other hand, wasn't about to go anywhere. Especially not after the catastrophe that just occurred in the camp. Many Al Bhed workers were still being treated. The two men offered their help, and they continued treating the injured. Rikku followed Paine, the two of them beginning to catch up.

"I'm surprised you actually came here, " commented Rikku on Paine's mission to Bikanel, "I know how much you hate the desert."

Paine chuckled lightly, "Yeah, well...I don't enjoy the desert any more than before."

"Then, why'd ya come here?"

Paine sighed, and reflected on that very slippery subject, "I...the Gullwings needed something. Staying at Besaid with absolutely nothing going on...it drove us mad. At least this excited things up."

"I guess I can't blame you. Tagging along with Nooj and Gippal gave me a distraction too."

Paine shot her eyes at Rikku. Then she displayed a melancholy smile. Rikku wasn't fooled by any facade, simply because she went through the same thing. Yuna was gone, and the Gullwings were stuck in her passing. Rikku, for as much as she liked Gippal, needed the frenzy of an adventure to make her forget. To dismiss the cold tears was exactly why Paine accepted this mission to the scotching desert.

She wrapped her arm around Rikku, "You know, I think you might be getting too smart for your own good."

The sun began to descend from the pale blue sky. As night came, the cool air soothed the ravaged camp. Nhadala, with body bandaged and wrapped, cooked up some food along with Rhala, Gadrock, and Brother for the injured. The stew wasn't what one would call high cuisine, but it would suffice.

The mess hall, or at least what was left of it, showed the signs of a fresh battle. Everyone tried their best to put things back together as much as possible. Awake and mobile, Lenne sat down next to Rikku and Paine at one of the cracked tables. She looked at Rikku.

"Hello, Rikku." she greeted softly.

Rikku turned to face the woman whom greeted her. She replied with a confused look, as she had never met her before. Yet, she knew Rikku's name. Curiously, she spoke in reply, greeting the woman, but asking her name apologetically.

"I'm sorry...eh...Paine mentioned you to me. I just assumed you were that person."

Rikku smiled her goofy smile again, "Oh, yeah that's me. Hey, she didn't say anything bad did she?"

"No, no." laughed Lenne, waving her hand in jest.

"Good. Anyway...what was your name again?"

"Lenne."

Rikku once more crossed her face with a perplexed look. She knew the name well. But, there was no possible way that this woman was the same Lenne as Shuyin's lover. At least, her little brain couldn't fathom that in any sense of reality. Though doubt still linger in her head, what were the odds of meeting a person named "Lenne" out in the middle of a digging camp in Bikanel? Still, she pushed to the back of her mind the question, as she didn't want to be rude and pry.

"Are you friends with Paine?"

She nodded vigorously, "Paine is very nice. She seemed a little daunting when I first met her, but she's a real warm person inside."

"That sounds like Paine. Soft on the inside, but tough and leathery on the outside."

"Excuse me," blared Paine, pointing her finger at Rikku's forehead, "are you saying I have bad skin?"

The three girls laughed, and chewed their bland food served by Brother. Rikku made a teasing remark, causing Brother's already agitated mood to turn into a boil. After some jumping and shouting, he was calmed to stop making a spectacle out of himself. Nevertheless, the Al Bhed workers got quite a kick from his hysterical fits. A little humor help ease their tensions. Luckily for Nhadala, she had no casualties. Many injured, perhaps, but no deaths. The last thing she wanted to do was have to put out another set of job offers.

She was standing outside the mess hall with Gippal. After so much time, she could finally talk to her leader. In his place, she had been the ad hoc boss of the Machine Faction, at least in Bikanel. But she had limited contact with their operations in Djose. It was fortunate to have Rin aid her in her operations She pressed to know why he vanished without a word.

"I understand you wanted to help Spira, but why did you leave without notifying anyone?"

He closed his eyes, and lowered his head, still keeping his trademark brash smile, "It was more than just Vegnagun. It was also about my friends, and my past."

Her mind became curious with that statement. She knew little of the past of his. He worked in a team for Bevelle two years ago, and something tragic happened to him. But aside from that, he was a misty form in the distance. Judging his tone, she did determine that he was being honestly grave – whatever happened to him, he had his reasons to pursue it.

"What's next then, for us?

"Well...I have no plans on breaking this shindig up, if that's what you mean. I run a fine business for the Al Bhed. It would be a shame to end that now."

His chuckles soothed Nhadala's worry. That was truly all she cared about. With a quick sentence, the camp was secured once again. Only rebuilding needed to be accomplished. That, and the mystery of the temple. Gippal explained to her what might be in there, and why they needed to protect it. Nhadala knew little of Vegnagun, and even less of Shuyin. Still, with Gippal's firm tone, she was willing to follow any of his orders.

Inside, a more joyous tone prevailed. They had Brother signing karaoke to everyone. His disturbingly bad vocals, along with the hokey songs he chose to sing, held the place in an uproar. Paine and Rikku didn't want to admit that they kept him as company. His rabid dance moves only added to the hysteria.

"His always quite the character." giggled Lenne, whose tone was the happiest Paine had ever heard.

"Yeah, he's a piece of work alright..."

Rikku shook her head, "Man...can't believe I'm related to that."

Lenne giggled again, as if she was laughing at her as much as her joke. Rikku squinted her one eye, still trying to figure Lenne out. Paine was friends with her, so she couldn't be that odd, as Rikku knew Paine didn't like odd people much. She continued to dismiss her doubts, much as Paine had. But then, she had to ask her a nagging question.

"Why are you here?"

Lenne, taken back by her sudden inquiry, didn't answer. Rikku, realizing she was too hasty and blunt towards her, retracted herself. She apologized for her outburst, and smile hesitantly. Lenne nodded, and acted unoffended. Yet, the question still lingered. Finally, she answered.

"I am here...because I was torn inside."

Rikku merely stared at her, muddle in how she should respond. Lenne sighed. It was reminiscent to Yuna in her dark and distant times. Her breath sounded the weight of sadness and despair. A chill shot up Rikku's spine, and popped a slight tear out of her emerald eyes. Lenne continued.

"With all the torment, I...I ran away. I wanted to do worse, but I couldn't. So, I came here...to be alone."

For the rest of the night, Rikku said no more to Lenne. She was completely devoid of any emotion afterwards. The words of Lenne were to hard, and too close to those of Yuna for her to bear. Rikku had been running away, just as Paine was, from Yuna's death. She couldn't handle the pain – so she sought to hide from it.

As the dawn of another day broke, the newly reformed Gullwings set out with Nhadala, Gippal, and Nooj back to the temple. This time, they took the Celsius. Speedily they flew across the glistening desert. From a distance, the temple appeared into view. While it seemed meager up close, the actually structure was more apparent. Since they knew where it was in its entirety, they could define the outline of it. And once they did, they realized how massive a structure it was.

Upon landing, the crew left for the entrance, at least the one they made. Gippal and Nooj stayed behind to keep the Celsius safe. Inside, they were greeted by the same dark spaces and musty air. Paine clenched her face, disgusted by the foulness of the temple. First, they passed by the room with the giant engraving. Taking a peek in, Rikku examined the stone. The crooked lines and swirling patterns were all abstract to her. But, the way it was laid out, it had to mean something. Catching up to the rest of them, she saw the large, double doors which stopped them from progressing.

"Why's everyone stopped?" she asked, not knowing why they were unable to enter.

Paine tapped the door with her sword, activating the green glyph on the doors, "That's why. For some reason, this room is sealed."

Before Rikku could respond, a sudden quake from the ground sent her falling on her back. The rumbling was so fierce, it cracked the floor stone below them. A pit formed in Lenne's stomach. For some reason, she knew what was causing the earthquake. Stumbling forward, she hobbled to the doors. Flickers of light showed flashed as everyone dropped their flashlights. Reaching her hand out, she palmed the door, and the glyph appeared. As before, a void beneath her feet formed, and found herself sliding down beneath the ground.

Once she reached the end, she rolled off into the Farplane. Pyreflies were spinning around rampantly. From their disarray, she knew something was wrong. In her heart, she felt Shuyin was enacting whatever plan he had. Running forward, her intuitions took over. Numbing her mind, she blindly dashed in the first direction her feet thought to take her.

In the temple, the vibrations paused, allowing everyone back to their feet. Searching around, they wondered what had happened. Paine picked her fallen sword from off the ground. Rikku was helping Nhadala from the floor.

"Aw man, what was that?"

"More tremors...this can't be good." Nhadala declared, her voice flooded with concern.

Paine noticed her about to take off for the surface, "Hold up Nhadala. That shake this time was different than before."

Suddenly Rikku blurted, "Um, hey! Where's Lenne?"

Looking amongst themselves, Lenne was no where to be found. Eventually Paine stumbled over the void, which she barely saved herself from plummeting down. Regaining her balance, she crouched over it, peering downwards. Even with her flashlight, all she could make out was darkness.

"Do you think she fell down there?" asked Nhadala worriedly.

Paine shot here eyes back at her, although Nhadala already knew what she was going to say, "There's only one way to find out."

With that, Paine hopped into the void. Rikku, with no fear at all, slid down behind her. There was no going back. Nhadala was about ready to follow when Gippal and Nooj ran in.

"Nhadala! Are you guys alright?"

Nooj hobbled up as fast as he could, "Part of the temple caved in. We rushed in as soon as we saw."

"We're fine," Nhadala explained, although she was still readying herself to jump, "but Lenne fell down here. Paine and Rikku already went in."

Without another word, she slid herself into the hole. Gippal and Nooj stood still, and gazed at each other, then the void. With a gulp, Gippal closed his eyes and dove in. Nooj sighed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Things are never simple..."

Nhadala and then Gippal had just reached the other side, with Nooj trailing behind. In front of them, they saw Paine and Rikku gazing around in astonishment. Within mere footsteps, the two girls existed in a universe completely transposed from the one they stood in just inches before. Gathered spirals of pyreflies flickered rapidly in front of them. The sound of a waterfall trickled in the distance. The ethereal haze of the sky warped their senses.

Finally, they braved the unknown before them, and walked forward. However it was possible, they had been drifted away to the Farplane. Gippal swiped out with his hand, whooshing away a cluster of pyreflies lighting up his face. Paine gazed around, unable to describe the wondrous environment surrounding her.

"Amazing..." gasped Rikku, "so this is the Farplane."

Nooj searched around, the swarms of pyreflies reflecting in his glasses, "The place where the dead come to rest...it's hard to imagine that it would be such a beautiful place."

Even though Nooj had been through the Farplane before, he had never seen it in such a celestial display. As gallant and tremendous as it was described to her, seeing it with her own eyes struck Rikku. This was the place Yuna was supposed to rest. It held beauty beyond words. She wondered in the back of her mind if she could see her here.

"I see you come even here to interfere with me!" shot a voice from above them.

Darting their attention to it, they noticed a silvery-haired figure on top the crest of the hill in front of them. It was Baralai, or rather, his body with the ghost of Shuyin pulling the strings. Gippal shifted his body forward, but was halted by Nooj. His eyes met the sharp and daunting gaze of Baralai. Yet, Gippal was fixated on the transparent image of Shuyin entwined with his.

Baralai's mouth began to move with harsh sentiment, "Your foolish attempts to stop me end now! I will reclaim the full soul of Vegnagun, and Spira will pay for its sins – forever!"

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Shuyin, still in control of Baralai's body, prepares to take the second soul of Vegnagun. The only thing standing between him and it is our stalwartly Gullwing crew! From the Farplane to the surface the fight will spill, but only one side will be victorious!_


	46. Chapter 46 – Tearing with the Beast

**Chapter 46 – Tearing with the Beast**

Far from matching the pristine beauty of the Farplane was the face of Shuyin. The ghostly presence haunting Baralai's body stood with a scrunched face. His eyes burned with a raw fury. Finally, he raised his hands. Gippal again attempted to run for him, but was halted by Nooj's arm. The ground once again began to rumble, this time with the force of an explosion great enough to drop everyone to their knees. Behind Shuyin from the ground burst a giant of a beast. High into the air it rose, with two, monstrous arms emanating from its body.

They almost appeared to be two other beings, if only they were not tied to the center figure. Nevertheless, the whole dwarfed the little Gullwings and friends who were watching this horrifying entity lift from the depths by Shuyin's command. Gippal, no longer able to be held back, scrambled after Shuyin. Sprinting with full speed, he pulled out his gun, but aimed for a non-vital area on Baralai. Shuyin laughed, and back flipped high into the air, landing perfectly onto the top of his raging beast.

"Feel the wrath of Angra Mainyu!" he roared, pointing his finger justly at Gippal.

The hulking creature began to move, slowly animating to life. It roared terrifyingly, rearing its twin heads back. Rikku darted behind Paine, who was herself scared witless by the towering fiend. The left head swooped its mighty hand down, nearly smashing the rolling Gippal with its immense force. The right head began charging magic, as a bright red ball of light shined above its head.

"Everybody scatter!" commanded Nhadala.

Paine and Rikku ran as fast as they could over to an embankment and covered themselves. Nooj and Nhadala hopped backwards, standing behind a pillar where the temple and the Farplane connected. Gippal, seemingly blinded by fear, darted towards the beast. But, intelligently he slid right beneath the beast, which would not fire upon itself. Nevertheless, it launched its ball of fire, and exploded a crater in the ground in front of it. The burning temperatures seared the dirt around it.

No one was hurt, but the power of devastation the Mainyu possessed was easily apparent. Gippal was not turned. Rather, he began to climb onto the monster, still staring fiery at Shuyin. He desired more than his life to rescue his friend, and put Shuyin to death forever. He dodged two attempts of the beast to swat him off. As he closed in on Shuyin, his foe leaped off.

"You believe this will be an easy fight? If so, you are gravely mistaken!"

After Shuyin's dastardly shout, he dashed for the temple entrance. Nooj was about to grapple him, as he was still standing there, but Shuyin vanished before his eyes. He was going for the spirit locked within the temple. Nooj immediately realized this, and called for Rikku.

"Rikku! Rikku! Come here!"

She glared bewilderedly at him, and pointed to herself, "Who me?"

He nodded rapidly, and motioned for her to come to him, as she did, "You are the only one dexterous enough to crawl back up the chute. We need you to delay Shuyin until we defeat this fiend."

Rikku hesitated to answer him, but then firmly nodded once. She wasn't sure of Shuyin's full potential, but she didn't care. If they needed her to buy time, then that is what she would do. Into the dark canal he climbed, although it was small even for her. The cramped space made her squeal as she squeezed herself up. Almost losing her balance, the temple began to shake once more, as the Mainyu fired another magical attack at its pursuers below.

The Farplane was now a battleground, with its participants locked in a life and death struggle for the future of Spira. Paine catapulted a series of black sphere at the beast, causing it to shutter in pain. She, too, was weakened and in pain from her attacks. Nooj fired off his gun at the beast, but to little effect. Nhadala told him to stay back, as there was nothing the two of them could do against a towering behemoth such as that. Flanking it on two sides, Paine and Gippal unloaded a magnitude of fury that matched the Mainyu's.

While Gippal kept it preoccupied with his shots, Paine attacked the right head, slashing with all her might at it. However, the second head, protecting itself, cracked Paine with its titanic hand. She was crushed into the ground. A cloud of dust raised up by the impact covered her. Nhadala shrieked, and without thinking, bolted for her. The right head charged an electrical attack, and scorched a line of earth directly in front of her. She barely stopped herself from being disintegrated.

Gippal also ran closer to where the impact landed. Distracted, the titan took the opportunity to attack him. With a series of swipes, it tried to destroy him. He ducked one, and tried to block the second as best as possible. But the force of its blow was too much, and he was sent spiraling backwards into the ground. A trail of uprooted grass and soil followed to where he laid, unconscious and bleeding.

Nhadala ran with an unquenchable rage at the beast, but was stopped by a sudden voice, "Stop! Do not go near it!"

From the darkness of the twisting tunnel Rikku finally ascended. She let out a huff as she climbed to the temple again. Turning around, she saw the double doors wide open. She gasped to see that Shuyin had dissipated the seals that quickly. Carefully she tip-toed inside, peering into a gigantic room. It was circular in shape. The ceiling was at least a hundred feet high. It was a massive place, for a massive being.

Searching beyond the walls she saw Shuyin. He was standing in front of an utterly enormous altar. A radiating red light burst into her eyes. In the center of that light was a transparent image of Vegnagun. It was the second spirit Bevelle's ultimate machina of destruction. The silence of the majestic sight was shattered by Shuyin's hideous cackling.

"Hahaha! Soon, my dear Vegnagun, you will be complete. For this world the time is short. I will dominate..."

Rikku, with images of the past bubbling hellfire in her soul, leaped from the shadows, "No! I won't allow you do use Vegnagun!"

Instantly realizing her absolute stupidity, pointed her feet together, and cramped herself together in fear. It was too late to take back her claim, as Shuyin turned around, peering deathly at her.

"So it's you again. Come to kill me? You don't have the power to stop me!"

Coming to kill Rikku, Shuyin marched forth, still gazing into Rikku's eyes. His sight was so sharp, it felt as if he was penetrating her soul. But she wasn't about to let herself become fazed. He wasn't the only person to have felt pain. Gripping her fists together, she ripped out her twin blades. Charging him, she swung rapidly at him. Nimbly he dodged them without much effort, and countered with a shot to her ribs.

Choking, she bellowed in pain. However, she faked her stumble, and instead propelled herself at him, cutting into his skin. It wasn't Shuyin she injured, but the body of Baralai, which was apparent once Shuyin's transparent form disappeared. A deep slice bled real blood from his arm, causing Rikku to retreat backwards. She gasped at what she had done.

"Is it possible," she thought to herself, "for me to beat Shuyin without killing Shuyin?"

Nhadala shot her eyes over to a hill behind the Mainyu. Standing there was Lenne, firmly facing the giant. Then she ran down towards it, firing off a few shots at it. Catching the attention of the beast, it lashed out at her, both with magic and physical attacks. Her speed was too great, as she dodged both, and continued firing at the creature. Fist after fist was planted into the ground, as a chain of misses quaked the earth. Paine began to come to, awakened by the sound of shots.

Looking oddly, she couldn't remember seeing Lenne ever carry a gun. To her feet she got up, but her vision was still blurry. Nhadala came over to her, stabilizing her wobbly balance. She squinted her eyes, attempting to make out the blurry figures parading in front of her. She did hear the sounds of crashes and bangs.

"W-when did she..." she tried to spurt out.

Then a series of crazy shots rang out, and everyone looked over to see Gippal on the ground, emptying a container of bullets into the fiend. He was badly injured, but his relentless will carried him on. Paine, too, regained her sight, and readied her weapon. A flame began to burn on her sword, hovering its orangish light to match the fire burning within Paine. In a burst of movement, she screamed at the top of her lungs, and blitzed the Mainyu, launching her sword at it. Spearing for the left head, her weapon was deflected. It went to annihilate the injured Paine, but was stopped by Lenne. Diving to protect her friend, she shoved her out of its reach, instead taking the massive hit in the back. Gippal, with his last ounce of strength, fired a full volley into the beast, causing it to outcry in pain. Lenne bounced off the ground and finally rolled to a stop. She twitched as she tried to get up from the ground. Paine ran over to her.

"Lenne! Are you okay? Say something?"

Lenne only moaned lowly, and put her hand on Paine's shoulder. She was breathing heavily. Paine went frantic, but knew not what to do. Tears swelled up in her eyes as nightmares of the past conjured themselves in her mind. In the distraction, Nhadala ran over to Gippal who was unconscious. She picked him up, and took him back into the border between the Farplane and the temple. Lenne, with strength coming from nowhere, stood up out of Paine's arms.

She pointed back into the temple, "There's a door there we can escape in. We have to get out of here."

Sure enough, there was a door at where she pointed. How nobody realized before puzzled Paine, but she didn't care at the moment. The group rushed inside the temple. Up the tunnel they went, and eventually reached the inside of the temple. They all went to the outside, where Brother and Buddy were waiting impatiently.

"Here, take them!" shouted Paine, "I'm going back in for..."

Just then, a massive crash erupted from the ground. The Mainyu burst from the sands, and roared horribly into the air. The beast stomped its way out of the rumble it just created, and stood within feet of the Celsius.

Inside the temple, another battle raged. Rikku skipped around, dodging every attempt of Shuyin to attack her. She had to come up with a way to stop him without killing Baralai. However, she had little time to think, as any misstep would spell her doom.

"Quite nimble for a little girl, but give up. You can never defeat me!" Shuyin barked in sick delight.

Rikku, sliding beneath a kick, answered sharply, "You think you're the only one who feels pain?"

He stopped, the dust from the ground floating in front of him, "Pain? Someone like you could never know pain!"

"Of course I can! You aren't the only one who has lost someone dear to you!"

They deadlocked into a stare, neither one of them blinking; neither one of them wanted to admit defeat. For what seemed like eternity they paused, the dirt and sand around them floating in the air at almost a standstill.

"A thousand years of suffering is what I have endured. How could you possibly understand what that is?"

She shook her head, "The time doesn't matter! When I lost Yunie, I thought I lost my soul. She was my cousin, my best friend...I would have done anything for her. But in the end, I could do nothing..."

"And so is this world. Which is why..."

"That is nothing?" she bellowed, jolting him out of his glare, "to see someone you love dead, knowing you'll never share a moment with them ever again. That is more than nothing!"

A cold silence fell. Neither one of them could admit the other wrong. Both had felt unimaginable torment with the lost of those dear to them. Whatever the time or circumstance, it didn't matter. All that remained was an empty heart, and a stark reality.

Finally, like an icy wall enrapturing them, Rikku melted the silence, "For the thousand years you suffered, so did the rest of Spira's people. Because of Sin, so many people lost their loved ones. Yuna had no parents because of Sin, yet she never sought revenge."

"Then she was a better person than I," interjected Shuyin angrily, "because I will correct the mistakes of the past – both theirs and mine!"

There was no communicating with Shuyin. He leaped at Rikku, and the fight ensued once more. Rikku was no closer to saving Baralai, but at least Shuyin was no closer to unlocking the second spirit. Then, a thundering crash sounded, knocking Rikku to the ground.

"Heh, the Mainyu is unleashed. Your friends are dying. They don't have the means in which to stop my plan." he commented, chuckles seething from his evil expression.

Anger flared in Rikku's demeanor, but she had a plan in which to save Baralai, and to stop Vegnagun from engaging to its fullest form. She pulled a rope from her pouch. It was short, but it would do the trick. She tied it into a loop, and twirled it around in the air. With a flick of her wrist, she flung it at Shuyin, but the loop brushed off him.

"Ha! A meager attempt like that will never stop me." he snickered.

Rikku just smiled, "Oh no, I didn't miss."

As soon as Rikku said those words, Shuyin began to wobble. His vision blurred, and he fell to his knees. Beginning to cough, he felt unconsciousness funneling around Baralai's brain.

"W-what did...you...do..."

With his last seconds of sight, he saw a small needle attached to the loop of the rope. Rikku's intent was never to tie Shuyin up, but rather render his host unconscious. Shuyin's ego blinded him from such a simple act. Baralai's body fell over, and his eyes closed shut. Rikku let out a long sigh, but she was relieved that she held him off. Then, she ran out of the room – she had to enact the second part of her plan before it was too late.

Outside, Paine and Lenne continued their fight with the Mainyu. They lured it away from the Celsius, which almost took a blast of magic to its hull. Brother and Buddy dragged Gippal inside. Nooj and Nhadala also went with them. They put their faith in the two girls, hoping they were strong enough to defeat the monstrosity risen by Shuyin.

Paine attempted numerous times to engage it with her sword, but she could never get close enough. Time was urgent, as they had no idea how Rikku was holding out against Shuyin. They were also becoming fatigued on top of their wounds. And the beast remained able to fight, and all the more bloodthirsty.

Lenne refiled her pistol, and fired off two volleys at it, shooting with great precision at the head on the left. But when one became hurt, the other stepped in to protect it. A bolt of electricity shot down at Paine, nearly frying her. Her jump backwards saved her from most of the shock, but she couldn't move her left leg properly. She was still fighting, but now with a limp. Lenne ran over to cover her.

"Can you still move?" she asked, noticing immediately the limber stance of Paine.

"Yeah...I can still kick this thing's ass."

Lenne nodded, and sprinted to the back side of the monster, gathering its attention away from Paine. Becoming highly agitated at the persistence of Lenne, it gargled, vibrating the ground with its pulsating growl. The unexpected boom shook her for a moment, and left herself vulnerable. Spinning around, it whipped its lumbering arm around, nailing Lenne straight on. Flying into the air, she crashed to the ground, and was nearly buried in the sand she collided with.

"No Lenne!" screamed Paine, who hobbled over towards her.

But Lenne was not dead. Rising to her feet, she stood hunched over. However, she tilted herself upright. She slid her hand down her suit, and pulled out a necklace. Tied to the chain was a tiny, blue sphere. She grasped it tightly in her hand, and placed it over her heart. She took in a deep breath.

To the sky and heavens she called, "Please hear my call! Help me Yojimbo!"

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Lenne mysteriously calls upon the mythical aeon to aid her in her time of need. But does he respond, or rather, how does Lenne have that kind of power? At the same time, what is Rikku's plan to defeat Shuyin and stop him from getting the second soul of Vegnagun? This will be one crazy chapter, and set the stage for the final arc of the story!_


	47. Chapter 47 – To Live Again

**Chapter 47 – To Live Again**

Baralai's body slumped to the ground. She had defeated Shuyin – at least temporarily. With his host unconscious, she had the safe opportunity to rush out of the temple. Rumbles sounded off nearly every second. She had no idea what was happening outside the temple, but she knew it was fierce. Her hope was that everyone was unharmed. To the light at the end of the corridor she ran with all her haste. She was greeted by the deathly sight of Lenne being plummeted by the Mainyu. She shrieked as she saw her slide hard into the desert sand. Then she flickered her eyes to Paine, who screamed as she witnessed the same thing.

She was tempted to rush to her, but knew she couldn't. Keeping her focus, she instead darted into the Celsius. Bolting for the lift, she went down to Shinra's lab. Luckily nobody locks the doors in the ship, as she was able to get in. Neatly laid out were the fourteen spheres he was analyzing. Gathering them up in one huge grasp, she took them and ran back out of the ship. Brother was going berserk by now.

"Frana yna oui kuehk fedr druca? Huf ec hud dra desa... (Where are you going with those? Now is not the time...)" he barked, but was ignored by Rikku.

She continued out of the ship, passing right by his squabbling. She knew exactly what she was doing, only she hoped it would work. The commotion outside hadn't stopped however, but everyone, including the Mainyu, paused as if time itself was halted. Lenne, who was standing holding something against her chest, yelled out.

"Please hear my call! Help me Yojimbo!"

Rikku nearly dropped all of the spheres, as hearing the name of Yuna's former aeon shocked her. Summoning was no longer possible, but nevertheless Lenne was calling out the great aeon's name. A blast of bright light surrounded Lenne, followed by a shroud of darkness. Around the whole area, the sky turned midnight blue. A gust of wind blew at their faces.

Shielding her eyes, Rikku saw standing firmly next to Lenne, the aeon Yojimbo. Lenne knelt down to pet his dog. He had heard her call, and answered. In a split second, the world had turned back to normal. Except now, the Gullwings had one more ally to save them. At first, the Mainyu slowed to do anything, merely snarling at Lenne and Yojimbo.

Yojimbo unsheathed his sword faster than anyone could see, pointing it directly at the beast, "I have heard your call Yuna, and I will honor my word. Foul being...you will be vanquished!"

Both Rikku and Paine almost fell over by his words. It was Lenne who called forth Yojimbo, but why was he calling her Yuna? Rikku did drop all the spheres she was carrying at this point, far too dumbstruck to even comprehend what was happening. Snapped out of her daze by the monster's roar, she picked back up her collection of spheres. She ran to the left side of the temple, sporadically digging in the sand near the base of the temple. Sweat poured down her face as she nervously cupped the sand with her hands. But to her relief, she discovered what she was searching for. Beneath the desert ground was a small pedestal. After she dug some more, she found a small hole, the size of one of her spheres, cut into its side. It was exactly as the stone carving described. It was her way to erase the second soul of Vegnagun, or so she hoped.

Yojimbo sped towards the Mainyu, who took a gigantic swipe to deflect him. But Yojimbo's speed was far to great, as he was no more than a faded afterimage by the time the beast's hand crossed with Yojimbo. Utilizing his great sword, he stabbed into the right part of the fiend, piercing deeply into its skin. Rearing backwards, the Mainyu stumbled away from Yojimbo. Daigoro was already lying in wait. He leaped from behind a sand dune, and attacked the backside of the left head.

The beast was infuriated and started shooting blasts of fire randomly at the ground attempting to burn the aeon. He had no chance, as Yojimbo was far too strong. He countered with another stabbing strike. However, the Mainyu expected this, and quickly spun out of the way. It took a crack at Yojimbo, hitting him in the side. He stumbled, but was far from fazed. Instead, he sliced at the Mainyu, which blocked every attack he could. The two were deadlocked. Each offensive maneuver was stopped by a defensive maneuver.

By this time, Rikku had just put in her third sphere. Locating the pedestals proved difficult, as she knew neither where to look, or how far to dig. The best she could do was rip up as much sand as she could. The vibrations from the battle didn't help steady her nerves any either.

Paine was standing frozen, staring at Lenne. Her mind was numb, unable to process the words Yojimbo declared only minutes before. Lenne, who was firmly entrenched, watched the aeon and the fiend in vicious strike. At first, Paine heard a faint call, but it didn't register in her mind. Finally, the sound became loud enough to pierce the numbness locking down her brain. It was Rikku trying to attract her attention. She was jumping up and down by this point, flapping her arms in the air. Rushing over, she asked her what was wrong, herself still half-distracted by the fight and Lenne.

"W-what is it?" she quivered.

Rikku pointed down to the pedestal and spheres, "These! We need to find the other pedestals and put the spheres in them."

"Huh? W-why..."

"Because, that's how we beat Shuyin! Just do it!"

Rikku's loud commands were great enough to irradiate Paine of her indecisiveness. Clamping her hand into a fist, she picked up a handful of spheres and ran around to the other side of the temple area. Rikku explained that the pedestals were buried near the temple, but she had no idea where exactly. It was a dig of luck, but it had to be done.

Plenty of desert sand was being kicked up by the contest between fiend and aeon. The Mainyu proved to be a worthy foe to Yojimbo. The relentless assaults by both sides resulted in little damage to either one. Yojimbo's nimbleness had allowed him to dodge most of the magic attacks made by the right head. But all the energy he spent made it increasingly difficult to keep up. The beast was not without its injuries as well, as Yojimbo had managed to weaken the left head quite a bit.

Yojimbo, feinting an attack on the left head, quickly slid over towards the right one. He sliced away with his sword, cutting the monster's tough skin. It roared, and in a reflexive jerking of its body, swung its arms at Yojimbo. He barely coped with the one hit, but was knocked away hard by the second. With the aeon buried in a pile of sand, the fiend charged up a quick fiery blast. Yet, in a saving attempt to rescue his master, Daigoro launched himself at the fiend, and grappled the left head with his teeth. The beast shook violently, wanting to shake him off.

Lenne also engaged the beast, seeing her aeon fall to the ground. A round of shots blasted from her gun. She popped open the barrel, and reloaded her rounds. Flipping the gun back, she put her finger back into position, ready to annihilate the fiend. Underneath her mask, her eyes burned with a mixture of passion and rage. The past and present muddled in her mind. She became dizzy; the phantasms of the past blurring the reality in front of her. Falling to a knee, she breathed heavily while the torrent raged on in front of her – yet she was far from aware of it.

Rikku had plugged in another two spheres. As far as she could see, Paine had accomplished the same. They were halfway finished. The sweat in her eyes stung, but she endured the pain. As far as she was concerned, she'd rather permeate to death than be beaten by Shuyin and Vegnagun. The sand was deeper than before, and she found herself half enclosed in the hole she was digging by the time she uncovered the pedestal. Nonetheless she wasn't discouraged. If only Yojimbo could hold out until they finished. Paine mirrored her exact thoughts. As she finished placing her third sphere, she was blasted by a wave of sand.

Yojimbo had shoved the Mainyu back into the temple, toppling a large portion of the front of it over. The pressure of the concussion fell the fiend into the depths of the complex. The fighting didn't stop, but instead raged within the confines of the former place of religion. The stone walls broke easily to the might of the epic creatures. Yojimbo continued to fling the fiend around, knocking as much life out of it as he could. Eventually the battle dropped back into the Farplane. Lenne ran after them, following the two all the way down.

She witnessed the carnage, as Yojimbo finally stopped one of the heads from moving. Only the right head remained alive, and it viciously burst attack after attack of magic. So many so that Yojimbo could not avoid them all. His saving grace of Daigoro, who took the brunt of the dark magic. Slumping over, he breathed heavily, hurt too badly to move. Yojimbo knelt down to his dog, patting him gently while whispering into his ear.

Getting up, he snapped his sword at the beast, who partially healed the other head during the pause, "This will be our endgame...and only one of us shall go alive!"

Twelve of the spheres were now in place, with only two more pedestals to find. Both Rikku and Paine had one remaining. Even from the depths far below them, they could listen to the bellowing of the battle. The piercing sunlight pushed them to their limit, but there was no time for reprieve. The sand was thick and seemingly abysmal. It was a race to see who could complete their objective first. Either they win and kill the soul, or the Mainyu conquerors them and Shuyin rises from the Farplane with Vegnagun.

Paine found her pedestal first. She was completely in the large hole she created, it being at least eight feet deep. The walls of soft sand kept sinking back in on itself, slowing the process down. Her muscles ached as they cramped from dehydration. But the stinging only made her drive farther and faster. She knew she was only inches of sand away from stopping the greatest threat to Spira.

Lenne fired a bullet at the left head, which was still only partially alive. It flopped its giant fist around wildly, trying to hit the agile aeon. Only the right head proved a challenge, as it was still healthy and angered. Yojimbo, in one swift strike, did manage to stab a fairly deep puncture into its midsection, injuring both sides of the fiend. Weakened, Lenne fired all her rounds into the left head. It screamed, and then once again drooped over dead. This made the situation easier for her aeon. She took this time to treat Daigoro, who was barely clinging on to life. Kneeling down, she pulled from her suit a small blue container. Carefully she lifted the dog's head, and pured some of the liquid down his mouth.

Smiling she spoke, "There...now you can live too. I can't run anymore and my friends need me. It's time for me to live once again."

Only one sphere remained without a home. But its resting place proved to be the hardest of all to find. Rikku and Paine joined together to unearth it. They could almost taste it. The hole became so deep, that they would need help climbing out. Tossing sand left and right, they tried their best to go further. A noise belted from above them. It was Buddy. Finished treating Gippal and Nhadala, they came to the rescue. Helping the exhausted pair out of the hole, Brother drove over the excavator he found left from the excavation of the temple.

He laughed insanely as the rig raced over to them. Kicking up a cloud of sand, he went to work immediately, carving much deeper than Paine or Rikku could have. A small mountain of sand began to build up. The girls watched, hardly keeping back their nervous impatience. Time was of the essence, and they had none left to spare.

Yojimbo shielded his body from another icy blast, as the Mainyu refused to surrender. It truly was a hideous beast which knew nothing of pain or pleasure. It only understood the act of killing, as its repeated attempts to maul Yojimbo proved. But both beings were damaged to the brink of death. It would be the first to strike that would become the victor. The ancient warrior Yojimbo knew it was time, and he knelt down on the ground. His hand gripped his sword handle tightly.

Swirls of energy gathered around his body. A glow flickered in his eyes. The time had come for him to unleash his final, grand attack. His only hope was that it would defeat the beast. His back foot turned, whirling a small cloud of dust around his boot. Propelling himself off his knee, he accelerated like a flash, pointing his long sword straight out at the fiend. For the right head he flew, praying he would pierce it in one final blow.

Another dumping of sand collected with the mound already dug up by Brother. He wondered how much more could there be before they found the pedestal. Rikku bounced left and right, tensed to the point of exploding. Glaring at the reflection of her nervous self in the gloss of the sphere, she wanted so desperately to jam it in.

"Rana! Rana! (Here! Here!)" yelled Brother, waving his arm at Rikku.

She darted over to the hole, looking down. Sure enough, the pedestal was sticking out of the sand about twenty feet down. Not even waiting for help, she slid down the wall of sand and plopped herself down in front of the pedestal. She heard some voices, but was so focused on placing the sphere, she paid no attention to them. Her head was a blur, with only one thing clear – sticking in the sphere.

Brushing the sand out of its hole, she blew out her breath, and hoped that this was the answer she thought it was. Closing her eyes, she injected the sphere in. For a second nothing happened. But a wrenching burst of light beamed up into the air. A second beam followed, as well as a third. Fourteen beams connected together in the air above the temple. An area of sand and stone rose up, revealing the glowing soul beneath. Crawling out of the hole, her brother and Paine lifted her up. Just as was depicted, she watched the soul lifted upward. It was caught by the beams. In an instant, a blinding light flashed in the sky. The soul had vanished – erased from existence. Everyone cheered, as they had defeated Shuyin.

"Hey, where's Lenne?" asked Paine, glancing around the group.

Once everybody realized she wasn't on the surface, they raced back into what was left of the temple. Between the raging battle and the beams, not much of it was left intact. As they entered, they heard the sounds of battling below. They ran downwards to the Farplane, where everything would finish out.

They arrived just in time to see Yojimbo make contact with the Mainyu. The erratic energy blazed around his body as he shot himself at the fiend. His last ditch effort succeeded, as the fiend was unable to stop his terrorizing advance. Cleaving the beast, its left head split into two. It toppled over, beaten and dead. Fading away, its pyreflies fluttered away to the far corners of the Farplane. Yojimbo, as well, was on his last leg. Paine, chasing after Rikku who ran down, watched as Baralai's body glared at them from a distance.

"Why? Why! How could you do this to me Lenne?" he raged, tears forming in his eyes.

She paused, but didn't respond. There was no time for such, as he ran off into the distance. Rikku, surprised he was conscious already, wanted to chase after him, but was stopped by Paine. Lenne stood there, silent and still. Yojimbo limped over to her.

Facing her, he said, "We have won this battle, but you have not won the war."

She nodded, "I know...but I plan to finish it."

He laughed lightly, "You have regained your strength Yuna. You have overcome Lenne's black veil."

Watching him, he and his faithful companion faded from sight. Everyone had witnessed what just transpired, and had no words to say. Rikku dashed over to where Yojimbo had just stood, facing Lenne. Her eyes were seeping tears as she stared at her. Rikku felt as she was embraced by this mysterious woman – a warm and comforting embrace. Then she took a step backwards, and undid her mask. Dropping it to the ground, she exposed her face. Rikku gasped as she covered her mouth.

"Hello Rikku," smiled Yuna to Rikku, "there's no reason to cry."

By this point, everyone had ran up to Yuna. She turned her head around, examining all the people she loved. They all looked at her in awe, not knowing what to make of her. They saw her die and fade away, yet she was standing in front of them. Rikku flinched, and pushed her away.

"No, don't touch me!" she sobbed, " I know...you're going to disappear."

Reaching out with her hand, she touched Rikku's cheek. It was warm – it was alive. Her green eyes peered directly into Yuna's. She could see herself clearly in the green and blueness that only could be Yuna.

Again she hugged her, "I won't go away anymore. I am alive, and that's how I will remain. I've missed you all so much..."

Finally convinced that their beloved Yuna was truly alive, they all embraced her. The dim glowing of the pyreflies shined upon them. But Yuna was solid, and not a vapor amongst the mist. Her eyes no longer held the weight of a torn soul. She had regained her strength, and casted away the pain which was not hers, but Lenne's.

"But how...how are you alive Yuna? W-We watched you die." whimpered Paine, trying to squeeze out the words.

"No. When the Fayth told me he couldn't bring back Tidus...I wanted to die. He made a copy of myself to take my place, so that I could die without any of you being hurt. Yet...I couldn't bring myself to die, so I shot the duplicate of myself instead. I thought if I ran away..."

Rikku shook her head, "It does matter. All I care is that you're alive Yunie."

She spoke what they all felt. The Gullwings, all of them, were reunited. Together again, they would be complete. Their happy moment was being watched over by Nooj and Gippal. They, too, were overjoyed to see Yuna indeed was still alive. Defeating Shuyin was possible, but not yet accomplished. Spira was still in a state of disarray, and Shuyin was still in possession of Vegnagun.

The two, battered but revitalized, nodded to each other. They had all the faith in the world that Yuna could heal the tattered wounds felt by Spira. Leaving a note on the Celsius, they told the Gullwings that all of them take care of things topside this time. The two of them would find Vegnagun and free their friend, so they could become whole again as well.

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Yuna is together again with her friends. Yeah, she was alive the whole time, but you didn't know! ;) Honestly, this preview is pretty much worthless, because I'm not sure what will happen in the next chapter. All I know, is that Spira will be glad to rid themselves of Yuna's gravestone._


	48. Chapter 48 – The Aspects of Life

**Chapter 48 – The Aspects of Life**

The sight of Besaid's shores appeared wondrous to the eyes of Yuna. The plethora of colors from sky to sea glistened much more than the bland textures of the desert. She, merely days before, thought she would never see the oceans of Spira again. No longer was she relegated to digging in the desert. Be it that she was grateful to Nhadala for taking her tattered soul in, but the desert was a dry home for someone who needed their heart rejuvenated.

She was free – no longer in bondage to the tears of a summoner long since past. She was still with her, Lenne was. Her soul still was tied to Yuna's. But she was released from the torment that was hers. As if a million stones were lifted from her back, the weight of sadness was banished. She could stand on her own two feet, happy and alive.

Even knowing that it wasn't possible for Tidus to return to her world, she would continue to live. Hiding would not abstain her grief, and she turned her back to it no more. She had friends all over Spira – each one willing and able to carry some of her burden if need be. Regardless of the fact that it wasn't necessary, just knowing that they were there was enough.

When she arrived back in Besaid, she was greeted by the most enthusiastic islanders imaginable. The first to welcome her, to no one's surprise, was Lulu. Her plump belly made her squeezing hug all the more congesting. She was followed by Wakka and the Aurochs, who gave Yuna an enormous group hug. Even Beclem was overjoyed to see her. For a change, he made his admiration easily apparent.

If there ever was a feast more grand for a person's arrival in Besaid, Spira would have run out of food. Yuna was in constant blush by the giant celebration she was crowned with due to her revival. She felt like a queen with the food, music, and happy faces surrounding her. She was amazed that she made such a huge impact on the lives of everyone on the little island. She of course realized Lulu and Wakka loved her so. They had shared and cherished each other since they were children. But the entire village, her home, adored her. Even a few travelers from Luca were ecstatic to see Yuna whole and in front of them. When they left, they would be sure to spread the word of her return.

"We went to your funeral." remarked the woman.

Her husband nodded, "Ever since you helped us in the caves, we've been truly thankful. Especially afterwards when we realized who you were."

Thinking back, Yuna remembered them. They were the quirky couple who was lost in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth. She couldn't forget the constant arguing they had between each other on their botched second honeymoon.

"Without you, we might have been a pair of goners." his wife chuckled.

Yuna smiled, happy to be of service. It amazed her just how small a world it was. Still, as she learned, Spira was tearing at the seams. Tensions between the Youth League and New Yevon were spilling into the everyday lives of many Spirans. Much of the land was not settled from their transition to the new atmosphere left in the wake of Sin. In the back of her mind lingered the desire to set it all right. Albeit that it was an old thought, covered up by her toils from the far past, she nevertheless clinged to it as strongly as ever. She was no closer to figuring out a way to lift Spira, but she had a renewed feeling about it. Her heart was sparkling, and the present was the best time to act.

The sun began to set across the vast ocean. Buddy walked down the plank of the Celsius. Pacing along, he peeked his head into the hovel where Yuna was staying. She was sitting, reading a book of Lulu's.

"Hey Yuna," he waved, "you got a sphere call."

She put the book down on her lap, "Oh, from who?"

"Rin."

She looked oddly up at Buddy, but followed him back to the ship. Puzzled as to why Rin of all people would be calling for her, she pondered to herself. Buddy made the intuitive comment by asking how he knew she was back, considering he was a long way away from Bikanel or Besaid. On the ship, she sat down in Buddy's chair, pushing the speaker phone button.

"Hello?" she spoke, partially in a question.

"So it is true that you are alive," she greeted with deliberate glee, "you soft voice is always distinguishable."

"Thank you. Yes, I am here."

"Truly that is great news for Spira, as well as for I."

Yuna began to blush, "Please..."

"It is much better than calling you Lenne. So please accept all of my flattery."

"But...you, um..." she stuttered, shocked by his comment.

"Ahem...I should get to the reason I called you in the first place. I'm having a bit of a problem here in the Highroad."

"What would that be, Rin?"

"You see, something unexplainable is happening to my machina. Mysteriously, for some unknown reason, they are malfunctioning. Whoever or whatever the culprit is, it has been an elusive task to uncover it. I only ask that you could perhaps some to Mi'hen and investigate for me."

Yuna paused for a moment, thinking to herself, "Well...let me ask everyone. I don't see why we can't come and help."

His voice instantly reflected his joy, "Excellent! I happily await for your arrival!"

"I said I'd ask..." she tried to interject, but the misunderstanding stood as he hung up on her.

Laughing softly to herself, she brushed off his haste and proceeded to do exactly what she tried to tell him. Back in the village, Rikku and Paine were talking about what they should do next. It had been decided earlier by the three of them that they should continuing sphere hunting. As well, they would try to help Spira out any way they could. Following Yuna's model, they sought to heal the ailing wounds of the people around them. Perhaps, if they were fortunate, they would bring peace between New Yevon and the Youth League.

"Hey guys," she greeted politely with a little wave, "what's up?"

"Hi ya Yunie! Not much." replied Rikku gleefully.

Paine smiled, "We we're just talking about what might be up next for us."

Yuna chuckled to herself, "Heh well...I think I have a suggestion..."

"What is it Yunie?"

"I just talked to Rin. He called about a problem he was having with his machina. So...he wants us to come and investigate."

Rikku and Paine looked at each other for a moment. Then, Paine smirked, and nodded to Yuna. Rikku giggled and grabbed onto Yuna's arm. She spun herself around merrily, confusing Yuna greatly.

"Yeah! Let's do it Yunie!"

Yuna laughed, "What's with you guys?"

"Oh don't worry about it," replied Paine, placing her hand on Yuna's shoulder, "we'll go help him out."

"Yeah, and I still owe him for bailing us out."

"Bailing us out?" asked Yuna perplexedly.

"Uh yeah...did I forget to tell you? When I was with Gippal and Nooj, we were being chased by some Bevelle soldiers. He helped stall them for us while we left the Highroad."

"Heh, guess we better do him a favor then."

That night, everyone gathered around their favorite summoner to say their goodbyes. However, the mood was much more joyous due to the fact that these farewells were merely temporary. No caskets this time – just the smiling face of Yuna waving them goodbye. But, for one, that was not enough.

Near the waterfall, underneath the ancient machina which towered over their path, Lulu met with Yuna. The twilight skyline was calm and crystal clear. The shining full moon graced them with a generous spotlight. Lulu sat down on a rock, her face muddled with relief and doubt. Yuna sat herself next to Lulu, perturbed as to what could be the matter.

"It's a beautiful night." spoke Yuna, trying to break the discontenting feeling amongst the two through the gentle ocean breeze.

Lulu nodded, "Yes, it is. Yuna..."

"What is it? Tell me what's bothering you."

"Well," she sighed, staring up at the starry sky, "it's just that after the whole surprise of your return, you're leaving again."

"I know, but I'll be back. I can promise you that."

"Can you? The last time you left here, you told me you'd be ok..."

Yuna glared at Lulu, taken back by her sudden, harsh words. Lulu bowed her head, instantly feeling guilty from her sudden lashing. She placed her hand on Yuna's leg.

"Sorry...I didn't mean it like that. Ok, I might as well get this off my chest..."

As she began, she talked about a multitude of thoughts stirring in her mind. From her baby, which was probably only a week or two away from entering the world, to how Wakka hadn't come up with a name yet for their child.

"I know he's a little slow Lulu, but he'll come through. You know Wakka, he always puts too much pressure on himself."

"Reminds me of someone else I know."

Yuna laughed and shook her head, "Perhaps, but I don't have to be like that anymore. I may have my pains, but I'm no longer weighed down by them now."

"I'm glad to hear that. I can see from your expression that it's true. After your funeral, I couldn't help but cry. There were so many things I wanted to tell you, and I thought I'd never have the chance to tell you them. It's amazing what you take for granted until you don't have it anymore."

Yuna smiled, and a slight tear formed in the corner of her glistening green eye. Leaning over, she hugged Lulu. The embraced for quite some time, with only the mellow rustling of the trees casting out a sound. The waterfall beyond them was but a hush. The two were glad to have each other again, as they both missed each other's hearts.

While the islanders were having their breakfast, the Celsius had already set sail for the Highroad. Brother and Buddy were busy manning their stations. Shinra, even though he usually was quite motivated, was still resting soundly. Rikku, unsurprisingly, was also snoring away. Yuna and Paine were enjoying some breakfast at the bar courtesy of Barkeep.

"So what exactly is Rin having trouble with again?" Paine asked, while swallowing some juice.

Yuna sat down her hot cup of tea, "Something about his machina. Apparently their on the fritz, and he wants us to find out why."

"But what do we know about that stuff."

"He thinks it's some person or thing causing his machina to break. So I guess we'll have to do some investigative work."

"Or become mercenaries."

The two girls laughed as Rikku stumbled out of bed. Her hair was standing up straight on end. She yawned as she walked down the stairs and to a barstool. Curling her head up in her arms, she desperately wanted to go back to sleep. However, she was interrupted by the laughter commencing beside her.

"Err...what are you guys so cheery about so early in the morning?" she growled, her eyes half shut.

"Oh nothing, sleepyhead." joked Paine, nudging her pseudo conscious friend in the side.

"Yeah whatever..."

A buzzing sounded over the intercom, "Yo guys, we are about to land in Mi'hen. Rin said he'll be waiting for us."

Yuna giggled at Rikku's dilapidated state, "I suggest you wake up and fix yourself up. Rin will think we don't take care of you."

Rikku stuck her tongue out and headed to wash her hair. Paine and Yuna proceeded to wait for their landing. Once down, Buddy released the hatch and they walked down the plank. Rikku scuttled up behind them, her hair still partially wet. Marching up to his travel agency, he hopped out of the door. With a big smile, he shook Yuna's hand.

"In the flesh," he exclaimed, although in quite a strange manor, "it is good to see you're more than a pretty voice!"

"Uh...thank you. It's nice to see you on better terms as well."

Rikku glanced around the building, sticking her neck out beyond the edge of the wall, "So, um Rin...what exactly are we here for?"

"My machina," he sighed while rubbing his head, "are going kaput. Someone or something has been tampering with their parts to sabotage them."

"Who would do something like that?"

"Heh, well that's why I've called you here."

Yuna looked puzzled at him, "So, you think we can help?"

He shook his head profusely, "Yes of course! Your resourcefulness has been my envy in the past. I am positive you are the sleuths for the job."

Yuna chuckled to herself, "Such flattery! I guess we'll try our best Rin."

Paine only sighed, as she saw things had quickly reverted back to normal. Then, a slight smile crept across her lips. With Yuna back in charge, everything felt right again. Even though Rin's detective mission didn't exactly excite her, she was just happy to have things back to normal. Any slight grievances aside, the girls began searching for clues.

Rikku took it upon herself to turn over every stone she came across, to the agitation of Paine. But soon they did come to a serious clue. In fact, it was right behind the travel agency. As Yuna glanced at the back of the building, she noticed a figure dart off. As she ran to check it out, she noticed a small machina was sputtering. She stepped back as a few sparks shot out from it. She called for Rikku and Paine to come, but also got Rin's attention inside. All three of them made their way to Yuna.

"I saw something run away from this," she explained.

Rin scratched his head, kneeling down to examine it, "Indeed it appears as if something has obstructed this machina functions."

After some extended considerations, he determined that there wasn't enough evidence to clearly indicate any one person or thing. Since Yuna never got a good look at the culprit, they would have to continue. This time, he gave them a little handheld device for them to contact him with.

Moving forward, they walked down Mi'hen Road. Over the rocky walls of the cliff they passed. Rikku loved the majestic view. Being so high up, it was if she was flying. Giggling, she zoomed around her friends like an airship. Stopping just long enough to extend herself over the railing, she spotted a terrifying looking creature chasing around a chocobo. She squeaked at its gruesome appearance and hid behind Yuna, jerking her around in a circle.

"L-l-l-look!"

Her finger shakily pointed to the fiend still engaged with the frightened chocobo. Shrieking, Yuna sprinted down the Highroad. Paine, reaching out to stop her but missing, chased after her.

Still standing their like a scaredy-cat, Rikku stomped her foot on the ground. "W-wait for me!"

After taking a bend, they were about two-thirds of the way to the crossroads. The chocobo and fiend were out of sight by now. Still, the girls hoped there was still time to run to its rescue. Unfortunately, they were stopped before that could be realized. In the middle of the road was a sparking, chaotic machina. A man was near the edge of the cliff about ready to fall off. He was in fear for his life against the frantic piece of metal parading in front of him.

"H-help me!" he called out, "it's gonna eat me!"

Paine drew her sword, but was paused by Yuna. She instead took out the communicator Rin gave them. Turning it on, it clicked a couple of times. Rin answered, and his face appeared on the little screen.

"Yes Yuna? Have you found something?" he asked excitedly.

She shook her head rapidly, "Take a look at this!"

She pointed the miniature camera mounted on the communicator at the machine. His distaste was easily made apparent by his vulgar outburst in Al Bhed. He told Yuna to move in closer. Hesitantly, she complied, and the fiend darted for her. With it running amok, Paine had no choice but to slay it. Cleaving it in half, the fiend flashed, then exploded. Rin gasped, and even began to whimper at the sight of his creation's destruction.

"Uh, heh...sorry Rin. I kinda had no choice." apologized Paine with a nervous smile.

"I...I understand. But my poor baby..."

"Oh don't forget," interjected Rikku suddenly, "about that fiend!"

Paine nodded, "Yeah. Rin...there was some fiend chasing a chocobo around on the old part of Mi'hen just a few minutes ago. You know anything about it?"

"No I don't, but I'm about to find out. Continue your search, I'll catch up to you!"

With that, he disconnected, leaving the girls wondering what to do. Figuring it was the only thing they could do, they kept on the path. At the crossroads, they talked to the guards, who just finished fighting off some out of control machina themselves.

"It seems you guys are having problems here too." pointed out Paine.

"You ain't kiddin'." scoffed one of the guards.

The other kick one of the junkie remains, "These things are nuts! I don't know what's going on anymore. We should have just kept the chocobo here!"

"Yeah, at least they ain't try to kill me!"

Yuna sighed, brushing back her hair, "Speaking of chocobo, did you see a fiend chasing one around here by chance?"

"Uh, you mean like that!"

Pointing his finger down the old road, the sight of a chocobo rampantly running towards them, with an ugly fiend in hot pursuit, came into view. The girls all drew out their weapons. Whatever this things was, they hoped it wasn't too tough. Lining up her gun, Yuna aimed her shot to cripple the beast. With her finger curling on the trigger, a sudden yelp sounded from the fiend. It was Rin and some of his workers.

With long stunning prods in hand, they began to shock the fiend into submission. Although it tried to attack back, the repeated shocks got the better of it, and it collapsed on the ground. While in its weakened state, Rin had it placed in a cage, and carted it back to the travel agency. Rin stood up close to it, not fazed by its snarling.

"So this is the monster which seeks to rid us of our machina. This, my friends, is a chocobo eater. A fiend that feeds off of chocobo. I see a hunger in its eye. Amazing..."

"What's so amazing?" asked Rikku for an elaboration.

"You see, this fiend went to great lengths just to get its food source back. With the machina replacing the chocobos on Mi'hen, it lost its sustenance. And without food, it knew it couldn't survive. Somehow, it managed to learn how to work the control panel of the machina, and make it go haywire. Such a tenacious and cunning being. I'm truly astonished."

"Well, it seems the chocobo is happy to see it caged up." noted Yuna, seeing the chocobo fluttering away joyfully.

Rin nodded to himself, then turned to the girls and smiled, "Yes, I see the err of my ways. Because of this fiend's tenacity, I will do everything in my power to return the chocobos to the Highroad.""

Paine was happy to agree, "Sounds like a plan."

Rikku turned to Rin and whispered, "So, what are you gonna do with it?"

In a whisper, he replied, "Oui yna paddan uvv hud ghufehk. (You are better off not knowing.)"

"Oh..."

Happily, except for the fiend, the girls accompanied Rin back to the travel agency. For their good work, he rewarded them with a dinner. Curiously, Yuna examined the picture sitting on the table. It was of Rin and Nhadala, together at Home. She wondered when it was taken.

"Oh, I see you are interested in that picture." Rin said, startling Yuna.

"I, um...sorry if you think I'm nosy. It's just, it's a nice picture. Although I didn't think you and Nhadala..."

He raised his hand to quell her worries, "We were quite close in the past. Heh...it's something most people don't know. But, the two of us are advantageous people. She ended up going her way, and I mine."

Yuna looked at him sternly, "Don't let the past stop you. It's a hard mistake to take back."

"I know, you're right." he agreed to the surprise of Yuna, "and I won't make that mistake. Once things around Spira settle down, I plan to ask her to be my wife."

Yuna's jaw dropped. His honest and stark remark stunned her. Such a bomb as marriage seemed like a risk Rin wouldn't normally gamble on. But she couldn't help but smile for him, as even love can make an smart man dumb sometimes.

"When do you think you'll ask?" questioned Yuna with increasing wonder.

Rin smirked, looking Yuna right in the eye, "I don't know, but I know it'll be soon. Since I was a little boy, I promised myself when I got married, I wanted a perfect wedding. And while that may never happen quite to my standard of perfection...I'd take anything close."

Yuna closed her eyes and smiled. Such words rang beautiful in her ear. She understood his sentiment of a perfect wedding, as she played one out a million times in her mind. And while hers will never happen, knowing that at least someone else could was enough for her. As she sun began to set, she turned to go to the room Rin arranged for her. She stopped herself, and turned to ask one more question.

"Rin...who would be your best man?"

Bowing his head, he thought for a moment. It was a question he hadn't given much thought to. Then he smiled, and raised his head back up again.

"My best man...would be Gippal. That is, if he doesn't get himself killed. And if he does, I want you to be."

Yuna laughed hard, brining her hand up to her mouth. Rin, too, joined in her hardy laugh. Then they waved each other good night. Yuna sat down on her bed, still giggling at what Rin just said. Thinking back, the only wedding she was at, the one she was in, was less than appealing. Thinking back harder, she realized Seymour never had a best man. Again, the little joke she created made her laugh. The laughter felt good.

For a while, she watched the sun go into the sea from her window. The stars twinkled in the sky, and the hazy gray clouds filled the sky like wide strokes from a brush. Yawning, she pulled the covers back from her bed. Curling under them, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

_On the beach, she sat with her feet in the water. The coolness of the waves splashing between her toes tickled her. It was a perfect complement to the warm sunshine cast upon her face. The sky was a bright blue, and bunches of puffy white clouds made shapes to entertain the birds._

_Beside Yuna sat Lenne. Her chin was resting on her knees. She, however, was not like the sky or the sea. Her frown cast a bleakness no longer felt by Yuna. She closed her eyes, and tried to remember better days, but could not._

_"Please don't be sad Lenne." spoke Yuna to Lenne with a smile._

_"I can't...but I see that you can. You truly are strong."_

_Yuna closed her eyes now, and shook her head, "No. Alone, I am weak. But with my friends...then I'm strong."_

_Lenne opened her eyes, "I'm glad you could free yourself from my pain. I'm so sorry to do this to you. One such as yourself didn't deserve to be in agony."_

_Rising to her feet, Lenne began to walk away, but Yuna stretched to grab her ankle. She stopped, and turned her head back around, looking down into Yuna's striking eyes. In silence, the waves continued to gently roll over the sand, and the seagulls called far in the sky. The two said not a word, then Yuna broke the silence._

_"You can never run from it. No matter how far you think you are from the pain and anguish, it will always be right next to you. Those are the words you've said to me._ _If you leave now, you'll never be able to save him."_

_Lenne, shocked by Yuna's words, couldn't open her mouth to answer. There was no answer to give. While Yuna knew she could never have Tidus back, she still fought and struggled. But Shuyin, in some form, was still in existence. He could still be touched. Possibilities matter not – it was only love that she craved to attain._

_The two sat on the beach, watching the seagulls overhead play their happy games. Tranquility and peace, even if it was only in a dream, felt too good to run away from. The connection they had before was pain. Now, it was something more._

* * *

_**Next chapter:** Always the fighter, Yuna and crew are found by one of Tolbi's Hypello assistants. It seems that Tolbi is once again in trouble! The girls rush off to the Moonflow in his aid._


	49. Chapter 49 – 1000 Words

**Chapter 49 – 1000 Words **

_Hey everybody. Well..unless you've never ever made it to the 4th chapter of X-2, you should know what's going to happened by the chapter title. A little preparation needs to be made, though, before you read on._

_First, break out your 1000 Words MP3...the English version (the one in the game). If you don't have it, search for 1000 Words Jade Sweetbox or something like that. If you have high speed internet, I suggest going here for the FMV rip of the concert: This chapter is something you have to be in the correct mood for it to be as effective as I want it to be – more so than any other chapter I've ever written. Anyway...I let you do your thing, and now I'll do mine..._

* * *

Rikku twitched her nose as something poked it. Her eyes were clamped shut as she tossed over on her side. Again, in her unconscious soul, she felt a poke against her skin. Growling, she rolled back over, and cracked open an eye. There stood Paine, continuing to prod her with her finger.

"Eh...w-what do you want..." she murmured, almost incomprehensibly.

Paine flicked her on the ear, "Hey, we're leaving soon. It's almost noon already."

"Why..." yawned Rikku, outstretching her arms to the ceiling, "I thought we'd be here all day."

"So did I...but that's not the case anymore."

Earlier that morning, the attendant at the service desk noticed a frazzled little Hypello stumbling into the building. He was huffing and puffing and blithering something at her. Once he calmed, she was able to speak to him. She then got up and called for Rin, who left early to repair the remaining faulty machina. When she told him of the Hypello's distress, he said she should talk to Yuna. As per his orders, she woke her up.

While her hair was a mess, she knew that Hypello weren't much for caring about appearances. In her bare feet she walked to the lobby. Sitting down next to the shaking Hypello, she asked him what was the matter. In the back of her mind, she wondered if he was employed by Tolbi.

"I am sorry for bothering yoo Miss Yoona, but Tolbi is in trouble!"

Yuna looked oddly at him, knowing how "trouble" and Tolbi were practically synonymous, "Well...what kind of trouble? Is he hurt or something?"

The Hypello shook his head, "No, but he could be. He owes some people some money he couldn't pay back. Now they're after his head! Oh..."

"Calm down, calm down..." Yuna pleaded, putting up her hands to motion him back into his seat, "he's resourceful, and probably good at dodging bankers."

"True, but I'm so worried about him. What will I do if he is captured? I'll be out of a job and..."

Yuna sighed, but smiled, "Alright! I guess it wouldn't be right not to help Tolbi. Tell you what, we'll come with you to the Moonflow and sort things out, ok?"

The Hypello nodded vigorously, and nearly thanked Yuna to death. Buddy led him to the Celsius, relieving Yuna of her Hypello babysitting. By this time, Paine had finished getting ready. Seeing Buddy and the Hypello leaving the lobby together made her curious, on top of seeing Yuna so grungy in public.

"What's up with the Hypello?" she asked, although somewhat regretfully.

Yuna turned to her and grinned, "Heh...another mission."

"Oh boy..."

Rikku dragged herself onto the Celsius, not happy at all by Paine's bad news. She cursed Tolbi in Al Bhed and took the lift down to the cabin. On a stool she slumped, and said hello to Barkeep.

"It seems there is another Hypello on board the ship." he stated, pouring some water for Rikku.

"Yeah, and that stupid Tolbi's in trouble again."

"Oh? Isn't he the funny little man who we picked up at the Calm Lands some time ago?"

"Yup."

Rikku took a big gulp of water from the glass, and wiped her mouth clean. Resting her face on her hand, her thoughts began to wonder about Gippal. He and Nooj were somewhere in the Farplane, detached from the rest of Spira. And that meant she couldn't see him. Smirking to herself, she thought how much of a hunk he looked when all raggedy and dirty. Her adventure with them, especially during a dark time in her life, was a blessing – in more ways than one.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Barkeep, although he already seemed to know why.

Rikku blushed, "Uh, eh...n-nothing."

He chuckled once and went back to reorganizing his array of liquor. Walking upstairs, Rikku gazed out the window, and noticed the beautiful landscape of the Moonflow underneath the ship. Hopefully whatever trouble Tolbi got himself into could be quickly resolved.

The Hypello led them to where he normally held his performances. Much to his surprise, Tolbi was there – although in stride. Three tall men were chasing after him as he ran past some people sitting on a bench. Coldly they screamed at him, saying something about money he owed them. Darting past them, the girls watched the little man evade their clutches.

"T-there they are!" shouted the Hypello frantically, "Please help him!"

Looking at Yuna, Paine shrugged, as well as Rikku. Without a word, the girls raced off to catch up with Tolbi. Back down the road they went, shocked at just how fast the little critter could run. So evasive was he that even the men couldn't keep up with him. They saw them hunched over, their hands on their knees breathing heavily. One of them turned their head to Yuna.

"Whew man...that little guy is fast...did you see anyone running by here?"

"E-Eh..." stuttered Yuna, not sure how to respond.

Rikku and Paine were searching around for him, while trying not to garner the attention of Tolbi's pursuers. Wherever he hid, it was impossible to find him. Then one of the men shouted, and pointed his finger at Tolbi running away back to the Moonflow. The three men continued their pursuit, huffing away.

"We just came from there!" grumbled Rikku.

Paine crossed her arms, "Ridiculous..."

Back to where they came ran the girls, hoping Tolbi could keep up his pace. When they arrived back to the river, they noticed the men were again clueless as to Tolbi's location. Considering how much of a loud mouth he was, he seemed to have the innate ability of stealth and evasion. Yuna listened to the men swear up a storm as they peered everywhere for Tolbi. In the distance, Rikku spotted him aboard a shoopuf crossing to the other side of the Moonflow.

"Oh hey, there he is!" she pointed, then muffled herself realizing the men were right next to her.

"A ha!" yelled one of them, "let's get 'em. Thanks little girl!"

On the next shoopuf the men went, impatiently waiting to capture their target. Yuna and Paine stood around Rikku, both giving her a nasty look. There was no time for scolding, as they would have to hurry if they wished to save Tolbi. They watched ahead of them as the men got off, and resumed their tracking. A couple minutes later, they arrived, and started to run. But they heard a call from in the woods.

"Psst! Come here!" pleaded a voice.

Sticking his beak out, it was Tolbi hiding behind a tree. He had dodged the men by concealing himself. He was out of breath and scared for his life. Looking around, they didn't see anybody, so their continued on to Guadosalam, where Tolbi had his office. Luckily not running into any of his pursuers, they arrived unharmed. Ducking into his office, he thanked them for rescuing him.

"Thanks to you girls, I'll be safe."

Rikku squatted down, "So, why were they..."

"It's better not to ask." interjected Paine with a smirk.

Tolbi was finally able to relax, "It seems everyone is going nuts. I'm just a little behind on payments, and they want to kill me! Spira has become so uptight."

"Are you sure it was just a little bit of money?" questioned Rikku, winking at Paine.

"Well um...that's not the point! There's no need for a call to arms over some mere gil...right?"

Yuna laughed under her breath, "You should be alright now. Don't worry."

The girls turned to leave, but Tolbi stopped them, "Hold on, hold on. I haven't properly thanked you yet."

Yuna shook her head, "No, it's ok..."

"Nonsense," continued Tolbi, "but how can I...yes, that's how!"

Motioning for Paine and Rikku to kneel down, he whispered his idea into their ears. For a moment, they were expressionless, but then Rikku's face lit up brightly. Even Paine seemed to approve of whatever he was saying. This made Yuna nervous; she crept closer to the three of them.

"How's that for a good idea...for everybody." nodded Tolbi, seeming happy with himself.

Rikku cheered, and ran over to Yuna, "Yeah, we gotta do this Yunie! It'd be awesome!"

Yuna blushed, not sure why she was the gallant center of attention all of the sudden, "W-what would? Someone tell me!"

"Well Yuna," began Tolbi as Yuna swallowed anxiously, "you should give a concert."

"A concert?"

"Yes. One that all Spira can hear and enjoy. It might be what everyone needs to settle their differences."

Yuna, a bit scared by his suggestion, looked at Paine for some support, but received none, "Hey, I don't know Yuna...it does sound like a good idea."

"True. But how would..."

"Not to worry Yuna," he stated, "me and my Hypello employees will take care of arranging everything."

Biting her lip, Yuna stood in silence. His proposition was a grand one, but she was unsure of how it could be done. Still, as she gripped together her hands, it might be the opportunity to help Spira that she had been searching for. Not to pass such a thing by, she agreed, and hoped Tolbi could pull it off. He smiled, and sent for his Hypello. Returning was an army of them, all awaiting his command.

The plan was for them to paradrop on the Celsius to all over Spira, telling anyone and everyone about the concert. When Buddy and Brother were told of the plan, they were all for it – especially Brother.

"Yuna will sing? Yuna will sing!" he erupted over the commsphere, "I can see Yuna sing! How can that not be a good plan?"

Buddy then shot in with a good question, "Hold on though. Where are we going to have this at...especially if you want that many people to come."

Tolbi immediately responded, "I've already determined that. We would have it in the Thunder Plains."

"The Thunder Plains?" everyone shouted in unison.

But his idea wasn't as crazy as it seemed at first hand. It did provide them with a large enough open area to hold a gigantic crowd. Shinra suggested they use the Celsius as the stage. Brother was even more excited because they would be using his ship to see Yuna sing. And so it was, the concert for Spira was set into motion.

The regiments of Hypello loaded aboard the Celsius, and Brother went flying all over Spira. They dropped anywhere where someone might be. Paine worked the personal invitations. Of course, such a rudimentary system gave no indication as to how many people would come. In reality, it didn't matter, just as long as it would help Spira.

The worst part was, since the process would take some time, Yuna still had over a week to think about it. While she had been amongst plenty of high pressure situations before, nothing was more unnerving than knowing she would be in front of a enormous crowd. For a couple of days, she paced around Guadosalam while the Celsius was dropping Hypello. Unlike any other situation she was in, the slow, unending wait was driving her insane. Finally, with only hours to go before her performance, the Celsius finally returned for her. Their mission had been quite successful, landing all the Hypello without flaw.

"We're back!" screamed Rikku as she glided off the ship.

Yuna hugged her, "How did it go?"

"Pretty good," replied Paine, who was walking up to them, "it went without a hitch. Now we'll just have to wait and see."

Rikku noticed that Yuna looked a little flush, "Hey Yunie...you look a little sick."

"I'm ok...I guess I'm just really nervous."

"Aw, don't be. Here! I have an idea!"

Leading her back to the ship, Rikku took her down to the cabin, where she had a large speaker and two microphones setup. Yuna swallowed her saliva nervously as she watched her cousin flip a bright red switch. A crackle shot from the speaker as she adjusted the volume knob.

"Let's get changed Yunie." she rejoiced, although Yuna didn't understand.

Dragging her to the second floor of the cabin, on their beds were two dresspheres. Both were songstress dresses. Yuna knew hers quite well, but she was hesitant to put it on. Then she thought back to Lenne in her dream. Nodding to herself, she donned the ancient summoner's clothing. Rikku, too, took on a new appearance. She twirled around, loving being in her cute orange and blue dress.

"Alright Yunie, let's go practice your singing."

Grabbing her by the hand, she yanked Yuna back downstairs. Her body tingled in anticipation. Rikku began pushing some buttons on the speaker, and a loud beat followed by some guitar riffs sounded from the speaker. Rikku began swaying to the music, and encouraged Yuna to do the same. Although she was a bit embarrassed at first, she started getting into it. Not to mention Barkeep, who was ecstatic to dance along with them.

Their rehearsal was a success. Yuna, after warming up her voice and loosening up her tension, felt ready to conqueror the world. She would have to settle for a crowd of Spirans, however. She was so focused, that she didn't even realize that they had left and were at the Thunder Plains. A few shots of lightening cracked in the distance, alerting her to the fact that it was almost show time.

"So, I guess there's only one more thing left to do." stated Rikku, puzzling Yuna.

"What's that?"

"Uh...what are you gonna sing?"

Yuna closed her eyes, bowing her head slightly. After a brief second of silence, she began to hum. Her mind was clear, and the notes of a song felt deep within her heart whispered out. Rikku was amazed by it.

"Wow...did you write that Yunie?"

Yuna, her eyes still closed, shook her head, "No...it's more like...I felt it, deep within me. I can hear it echoing inside me."

"I see...is this Lenne?"

"Perhaps. I may not know a lot about her life, but I still feel so connected with her. Funny...for the longest time...I wanted to banish her from me. But when I had the chance, I couldn't let her leave."

"Thus shall Lenne's scattered thoughts be woven into bittersweet song...something like that?" giggled Rikku. "Yeah, something like that. Heh, that was very poetic Rikku!" The two went up to the bridge. Paine was hovering over Shinra, watching a video feed from the ship. Outside, Yuna could see droves of people awaiting her – far more than she ever imagined. It seemed that if there were any more people, the ship would be buried underneath them all. She was quickly broken out of her trance when Paine grumbled to Shinra. Walking over, Yuna tapped Paine's shoulder. "What's the matter Paine?" Paine pointed her thumb to the screen. Shinra turned on the audio. The voice of numerous, angry spectators filled the area. People from New Yevon and the Youth League were arguing, and it didn't sound civilized. "The Yevonites are here, too? How am I supposed to enjoy the concert with them stinking up the air?" "Hey! You Youth League dogs will never be worthy of hearing the high summoner sing!" "If the Praetor were here, he'd never let these maggots walk around, spouting their nonsense." "What I wanna know is, where'd Nooj go? It's his fault that Spira's falling apart! What kind of leader abandons his people when they need him most?" Yuna frowned at their anger and distrust. The constant bickering was the fracture which held Spira apart. She hoped to her very core that it was possible to heal these wounds. "Geez, don't these guys ever give it a rest." rumbled Paine, turning away from the monitor in disgust. "Yeah, really...well, Yunie...I guess you need to work your magic." Yuna stared at the floor, then in her mind affirmed her task, and tightened her fists together, "Right! I can do this." Wiping her mind of everything but the song, Yuna followed Rikku and Paine to the top of the ship. Brother and Buddy gave her a resounding thumbs up for good luck. Brother especially was ready for the performance, because he already had his soda and popcorn ready. As they went up, Tolbi was racing around frantically. "Oh my, oh dear! These people are crazy. I hope they don't ruin..." Yuna smiled, silencing his worry, "No need to worry Tolbi. I'm ready." The three girl huddled together, their hands clasped together. Looking into each other's eyes, they poured any and all hopes they had to one another. The girls were nothing but smiles, knowing that it was their turn to make a difference. "Y." "P." "R..." "Break!" The lights dimmed down, with only the shots of lightning illuminating the Celsius and the ground. Lulu and Wakka were watching the girls come up on stage. The noisy crowd from before had hushed down to a whisper, patiently waiting for Yuna to come center stage. The Hypellos managing the sound system gave the girls the go ahead. One of them handed Rikku her guitar. "Achtung baby!" roared a wild Brother, "edge out that guitar Rikku!" Yuna breathed in one final time. Her heat pounded as she viewed the massive crowd in dead silence, all eagerly waiting for their summoner to sing. She walked to the forefront, a spotlight following her movement. Cheering and applause rumbled from all around her. Approaching the microphone, she conjured all the might she had. Placing her mouth up to it, she began to speak, "A thousand years ago...there was a summoner, no different than me. During a time of great conflict for Spira, even before Sin, she had the courage to sacrifice herself for the good of Spira. The people were divided, and nobody knew what to do, or how to live. Eventually, it was this divide that led to her death. I ask...from all of you...is to get passed your differences. Please...live together, this is what I ask...and she as well." Her words were done, and only the shocks of lightning, and cascades of raindrops, were left in their wake. The music began, and a soft, sweet melody filled the air. Rikku plucked her guitar, its sonic waves soothing, yet saddening. _I know that your hiding things_ _Using gentle words to shelter me.  
Your words were like a dream.  
But dreams could never fool me...  
Not that easily._ As her words began, Yuna immediately uplifted the souls of those in the crowd. In her place, her face portrayed the emotions she had been feeling for so long. Beads of rain poured down her body, matching the raw feelings streaming from inside of her. _I acted so distant then,  
Didn't say goodbye before you left.  
But I was listening.  
You fight your battles far from me.  
Far too easily..._ The light beat of the drums started, and the rain slowed to a halt. Yuna's small hand directed the emotion felt by the crowd. In her heart, she hoped to inspire. A sudden stream of blue light arced over the Celsius. _"Save your tears cause I'll come back."  
I could hear that you whispered as you walked through that door.  
But still I swore,  
To hide the pain, when I turn back the pages.  
Shouting might have been the answer.  
What if I cried my eyes out and begged you not to depart.  
But now I'm not afraid to say what's in my heart..._ Like a mirage, Zanarkand flew from nothing over the Celsius. The ghost city was now her stage. Rikku looked over to see Yuna engulfed in pyreflies. Shooting up to the sky, a bright orangish void appeared from them. Before the crowd was Vegnagun and Shuyin. Yuna's song didn't stop, even from this anomaly. Her voice instead sounded with even more passion and emotion. And with a flash, her body was transformed into Lenne's. _Cause a thousand words,  
Call out through the ages.  
They'll fly to you...  
Even though I can't see.  
I know they are reaching you, suspended on silver wings.  
Oh a thousand words,  
One thousand embraces,  
Will cradle you.  
Making all of your weary days seem far away...  
They'll hold you forever! _ With her beat, images of Shuyin playing Vegnagun's organ appeared. The beast, just as it did 1000 years ago, opened itself up to him. Trying to stop him, Lenne stood with arms stretched out. The footsteps of soldiers hammered on the floor. The lovers destined for death held each other, knowing their fates were eternally sealed. With guns pointed at them, Rikku began her solo. As she plucked each string, Shuyin and Lenne gazed into each other's eyes for the final time. All they could do, was for one last time...smile. The bullets fired, sparks raging from the gun barrels. Flickers of their past, and their times of love, flashed as they were shot down. Together with Lenne, Yuna sang.

_Oh a thousand words (a thousand words)  
Have never been spoken. (oh yeah).  
They'll fly to you,  
They'll carry you home, (carry you home) and back into my arms,  
Suspended on silver wings. (on silver wings!)  
And a thousand words, (oh)  
Call out through the ages. (call through the ages!)  
They'll cradle you, (oh yeah)  
Turning all of the lonely years to only days... (only days)  
They'll hold you forever!_

_Ohhhhhhhh...a thousand words..._

In their last few seconds, Shuyin and Lenne, lying on the ground, looked at each other for the last time. A tear trickled down her cheek. Their love was lost. The passion between Yuna and Lenne exploded as the two sung their duet. The resounding echo of Yuna's voice to Lenne's words pounded into everyone's hearts. By the last words, a shining streak burst across the sky, and sunlight saw the ground of the Thunder Plains for the first time.

Just as they had built up the energy together, Yuna stood alone...with only the gentle rays of light illuminating her body. Lenne, along with the images of her past, were gone. The whistle of the breeze rustling was the only audible sound. Yuna collapsed on the deck. Although she was drained, she held the entire crowd in awe– all of them holding their breathes.

Rikku all but threw her guitar at the Hypello crewman. She and Paine rushed over to see if Yuna was alright. She was, as a small tear ran down her face. She had done what she set out to do.

* * *

_**Next chapter:** With Yuna's song finally sung, the peoples of Spira have a chance to reflect upon themselves. But the Gullwings don't. Shortly after Yuna finishes, Leblanc is on the phone. She has a message from Nooj from within the Farplane. The girls determine that this is the time to make their final strike!_


	50. Chapter 50 – It is Time

**Chapter 50 – It is Time**

Helping her to her feet, Paine looked at Yuna, unsure of what to say. Never in her life had she seen such a raw and emotional performance. All the feelings pent up inside of her had come out in one, gigantic burst. As the final tears and raindrops rolled down her face, she stood up. Rikku, who was holding on to her other arm, helped her cousin back inside the ship. Expecting her to cry, she instead surprised her friends by smiling.

Paine began to whisper, "Yuna, are you going to be alright. I can..."

"No...don't worry anymore. I'll be fine now, the tears have passed."

Paine smiled in reply, as did Rikku. They both were happy that their friend wasn't in the same distress as before. Seeing her cry brought up the scary memories of the not-so-distant past. True to her word, Yuna did not shed tears anymore. To the bridge of the Celsius they went, with astounding cheers from Brother, Buddy, and Shinra.

"Oh Yuna...you were fantastic! I've never been so moved!" shouted Brother, running over to cheer her.

"It was amazing," concurred Brother, "but are you ok? That was pretty rough."

She nodded, already looking stronger than just a few minutes ago. Shinra was busy punching keys at his console. During the brief pauses, he mumbled something to himself. Paine walked over to him, tapping him of the shoulder.

"Any idea of what happened? I take it you didn't plan that lights show."

He swiveled around in his chair, "Not at all."

"Alright, that makes sense..." Rikku continued, her eyebrows crossed, "but then what was all that?"

"It seems that the soul infused on the dressphere conjured up those images. The dressphere reacted to my sphere screen, and the images burned into it from the consciousness of the dressphere were projected."

"That's crazy!" screamed Rikku.

Yuna calmly interjected, "No...it's Lenne."

"Lenne?"

Paine smacked her fist into her other hand, "Of course, that must have been Lenne. And those images were her memories."

"Indeed, they provided such a magnificent quality to an eloquent song. I applaud such an uplifting performance Lady Yuna."

Everyone turned around to see who the mysterious voice belonged to. Only one held such an old and wise voice – Maechen. The ancient scholar stepped down the stairs to the lower level of the bridge. He waved his hand in greeting.

"I am truly amazed at just how little things have changed since those many centuries ago." he stated, smiling to everyone.

"What'cha mean?" Rikku asked.

"If you know something about Lenne," enticed Yuna, "then please tell us."

"Of course. I'd be happy too...As I said at your funeral, Lady Yuna, Lenne lived during a terrible time. There was a war raging between Bevelle and Zanarkand. Sent out by Zanarkand to fight, Lenne followed her orders, and braved a certain death. She, an astute summoner, was prepared for these consequences. However, her lover was not."

"You mean Shuyin?"

"I'm afraid I don't know his name. It has been lost to history. But I do know this. He stormed into Bevelle, and attempted to take its secret weapon. He hoped, with his newfound power, that he could save Lenne from an unfair fate."

Rikku nodded, "Vegnagun. So all this time...it hasn't really been about killing or destruction."

"Whatever his mind may have been thinking, trying such a foolish task did him no good. The lovers met a tragic end, their deaths lamented in those images we have all just witnessed."

Yuna sighed, "All that time...those feeling burning inside of me. It was the pain swelling from Lenne, her heart shattered by their deaths. All she wanted...all either of them wanted...was to love each other."

Maechen agreed, bowing his head to the saddened fact, "A cold hard truth. As close as that man was to achieving his goal, in the end, he did nothing. Sad it is..."

A tear formed in Yuna's eye, "All she wanted to say...was 'I love you...'"

The sphere comm began to buzz. Buddy picked it up, and listened closely to the voice on the other end. After a few sentences, he motioned for the girls to come over. Putting it on the speakerphone, they heard an all too familiar voice.

"Hello loves, long time to see...or hear."

"Leblanc!" shouted the girls in unison.

"It seems you Dullwings still remember me. I have something very important to ask you from my Noojie."

"Nooj? Is he and Gippal alright?" immediately asked Rikku.

"Yeah...they are both still alive in the Farplane...somewhere."

Yuna smiled, "That's good to hear. But, how did you hear from them?"

"Well...I have my ways...I can always find my Noojie-woojie!"

"Heh...that's good to hear. So then, what did he say?"

"Noojie said that they were close to finding Vegnagun, and that would have been a number of days ago. I say if they're that close, we should help!"

Yuna shook her head, "I agree. Any ideas Leblanc?"

She chuckled across the comm, "Uh, heh...that's what I was calling you about."

The girls thought amongst themselves, attempting to quell up any ideas that they could use. Brother, trying to help as best he could, injected some worthless ideas of his own. Then, it popped into Yuna's mind.

"Of course. I know how...down the holes!"

"Holes?" barked Rikku, "what are you talking about Yunie?"

Yuna explained, "Remember in Kilika and Djose, those large holes where we fought Kinoc. They had pyreflies spiraling out of them. I wonder..."

"So love, you think that's our ticket to the Farplane. Well then...which one of them should we hop down in?"

"Besaid if you will...I do hazily remember one there..."

"Excellent! Then it's decided. Off to Besaid! Ormi, Logos...start packing!"

Before anybody could speak another word, the commsphere was off. When Leblanc made a decision, nobody could change her mind. The girls looked at each other, not sure if they were prepared to take on Shuyin and Vegnagun in the Farplane. However, Yuna gathered her strength. She was prepared for anything. There no longer existed a storm in Spira she couldn't calm. Resolving her friends, they choose to battle. While Vegnagun was still very much unknown to them, they couldn't hide in fear – not for the sake of Spira.

"I see you are about to leave," laughed Maechen, "then I will depart as well. Farewell Lady Yuna, and do not lose the courage that makes you so strong."

He waved gallantly, and left the ship. The girls, fortified by the song and the spirit of all that just transpired, set course for Besaid. As a side note, Yuna invited Lulu and Wakka aboard. In fact, they had already arrived, and passed by Maechen as he was walking out. Lulu ran up to Yuna as fast as her bulging stomach would let her.

"That was wonderful Yuna!" she exclaimed as she hugged her.

"Thanks Lulu."

"That was some show you put on. Too bad the whole village couldn't come and see, ya?" greeted Wakka, who also hugged Yuna.

"We're going back to Besaid, so if you want to join us..."

"Of course! I'd rather travel with you than those musty Hypello. They ain't so keen."

Everyone laughed at Wakka's bluntness. By the time they got back to Besaid, the sun had already risen on another new day. The clouds were hanging in a slight overcast, only allowing the sun to provide them with glimpses of warming light. Lulu, with Wakka by her side, went to lay down in her hovel. Yuna sat down next to her.

"You must be tired from all that traveling." Yuna wondered out loud.

Lulu blew out some air as she laid down, "Somewhat. Carrying a baby all day is a lot more exasperating than you might expect."

Yuna laughed, "I can only imagine."

Lulu closed her eyes, "You're going to leave soon, aren't you?"

Yuna stopped laughing, taken back by her sudden question. She was unsure of how to answer, as Lulu's tone was cold and stark. She put down the picture of the three of them she was looking at, and sighed.

"Yes. Do you know the big hole in the temple?"

Lulu rolled over, glaring oddly at her, "The one with the pyreflies? No one wants to go near it."

"Well, we're going to be venturing into it."

Lulu, shocked by her word, sat up sharply, "W-what are you talking about? You can't..."

"Lulu!" her voice raised, almost to the point of shouting, "Lulu...we must."

For a moment, Lulu wanted to yell a thousand things at Yuna. Her face was beet red, and her teeth were clenched. But Yuna's eyes told her that no matter what she said or did, it would be of no use. She sighed, and laid back down. She knew better than anyone how determined a girl Yuna was.

"I may not know exactly why you're doing this...but just promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"Just come back...alive."

Yuna smiled, "I will. Believe in that, Lulu...I will."

The girls spent the noontime hours eating and preparing, as well as waiting for Leblanc. By late afternoon, they were tired of waiting. In front of the temple, Rikku tapped her foot on the stone steps impatiently.

"Man, where is that Leblanc at?"

Paine grumbled, "I say we go now Yuna. We can't wait forever for her."

"Yeah, you're right," sighed Yuna, "she must have gotten lost. Let's go."

The temple felt cold and quiet. There were no priests nor fiends here anymore. In their wake was left an out-of-place feeling for a place once supposed to save – emptiness. To the Chamber of the Fayth they went. It, too, shared a dank and mysterious aura. Its only inhabitants were the few pyreflies flying in and out of the hole. Rikku peeked her head down it, seeing nothing but endless darkness.

"Testing! Testing!" flared over the commsphere clipped to Yuna.

Rikku shrieked at the sudden outburst, and nearly fell into the hole without the aid of Paine, who reflexed to save her stumbling friend. She slumped down to the ground next to the hole, wiping the nervous sweat from her forehead.

"Brother...yeah we hear you!" yelled Paine angrily.

"Ok...just checking. If you need any assistance, we will be standing by."

"Gotcha Brother. Thanks." Yuna replied.

"Good luck!"

With that, the girls readied themselves for the unknown. All of them swallowed hard when they gazed down into the void in front of them. None of them wanted to go first. In fact, they had no idea what they were jumping into.

"So...who brought rope?" laughed Rikku, her stomach fluttering.

"I don't think that'll help," Yuna giggled, although she was just as nervous, "we'll just have to take a leap of faith."

Paine nodded, "Heh, sounds good. I guess it's now or never then. Ready? One...two...three!"

All together at the sound of Paine's voice, the girls leaped into the hole – all the while their eyes were clamped shut. For only a second or two, to them it seemed, they fell. When they reopened their eyes, they were in a very different place than they thought they would be. Not quite the Farplane, but somewhere in between, this purgatory was just as mystical.

They were on a floating length of stone. Rikku clinged onto her cousin, as she was afraid of slipping. Paine, searching around in all directions, was brave enough to look down. Below them was numerous stone branches, all magically hovering in the air. She also noticed, at certain intervals, a burst of flames would spout out of the ground. Finally, at the bottom of it all, was a large rock platform. She cringed at the task that lied ahead. This wasn't her idea of what their adventure would be.

"Who wants to go first?" tittered Rikku, who hid herself more behind Yuna.

Yuna, who was also nervous, decided, "Paine, that's your job."

Through her shaking smile, she convinced Paine to take the lead. She, on the other hand, had nothing but reluctance. Nevertheless, they had to go sometime, so she might as well be in the lead. First, they made a nice, short hop to another long piece of stone. Crossing to the other side, Rikku was attacked by a shot of fire. Coming up right in front of her, she yelped as she jumped backwards, tripping to the stony floor.

"Ouch..." she whimpered.

"Oh my, Rikku are you..."

Yuna, before she even finished her sentence, was also shocked by the sudden stream of fire which raged up. She, in fright, nearly fell backwards, but was caught by Paine. She apologized right away, forgetting that she should have warned them ahead of time. Rikku snorted and quickly darted over the hole of the fire. Both the girls made Paine go first, using her as a shield from now on.

After some jumping, and even being attacked by some fiends, they eventually made it down to the large stone platform. Around them was nothing but a void. It had an eerie feeling, and made the girls shiver in their place. Yuna walked ahead a few steps, seeing if there was anything else around. A swirl of wind nearly knocked her over. She dropped to a knee, and shrouded her eyes with her hand. Rikku and Paine also covered up their faces. The torrent of wind was pulsing across them.

When the dusk began to fade, they saw in front of them a massive figure. It was easily discernible to all three of them. It was a sight, especially to Yuna, that haunted her memories. Bahamut, her once faithful guardian, roared to the sky. Along with him, was a multitude of glowing pyreflies. She wondered why, of all creatures, was Bahamut here.

Paine drew out her sword; she knew exactly what was going to happen. Rikku, afraid for Yuna, ran over to her. Picking her up off the ground, they backtracked. Glaring with rage at the beast, Paine was ready for whatever he might throw out. She didn't understand why he was here, but she didn't care. Remembering their past fight, it would be tooth and nail to survive if the aeon retained the same strength he had.

Reading her pistols, Yuna and Rikku formed wings on Paine. Bahamut struck first. Flying up in the air, he flung his massive body to the ground in the middle of the group. They had dodged his plummet, but the ground shook violently, nearly causing them to loose their balance. Paine responded by taking a swipe at his legs, but missed due to his incredibly fast flying. For a large beast, he was nimble.

Again, he came forth, this time targeting Yuna alone. She, who had not known about Bahamut's previous encounter with Rikku and Paine, was still in shock at his appearance. She ducked under his repeated swipes, and fired a barrage of bullets herself. The two tangled together, eventually with Yuna jumping onto his back. Rikku, screaming at her cousin, dashed over to help. She, too, leaped onto the monster's back. With the two of them holding on for dear life, Bahaumt whirled his body around in the air.

"Dammit! What are you...argh, hold on!" bellowed Paine, irate by her friends' chaotic move.

Rikku was feeling extremely regretful of her decision, but Yuna's face held nothing but resolve. She felt for her aeon, be it if he was only but a shadow of his former self. However, a sudden jolt by him knocked her off. Almost rolling off the stone platform hovering over an endless void of darkness, she gripped to its edge, desperately clinging on. Paine, dropping her sword, sprinted over, sliding sideways to reach out with her hand. Successfully grabbing a hold, she lifted Yuna from the edge. Yuna, crawling up on her hands and knees, breathed heavy as she looked back up to the aeon.

Rikku, who by now was definitely hanging on by a thread, fell off as gracefully as she could. Now that the both of them were back on solid terra firma, they huddled together quickly to reformulate a battle strategy.

"Uh...now what?" questioned Rikku perplexedly.

"Keep wearing it down," answered Paine with a gritty look, "that's what we did last time."

Yuna, although not pleasured by the archaic plan, nonetheless went along with it. They reformed, and immediately went on the offensive. Paine led off this time, with some strikes that actually hit the beast. With each hit, a collage of pyreflies swarmed from his gashes. Each time, his roar became even louder and more distraught. For Yuna, it was increasingly more painful for her to listen to.

Although apprehensive, Yuna still fired her pistols as rapidly as she could. During her reload, she looked at the tormented eyes of her former aeon. They burned with a desire she knew all to well. His eyes were crested with hopelessness. He wanted to be put to rest. She hoped once that she could be as well.

Getting up to his tail, Rikku swirled herself in circles hacking and slashing the beast. As they progressed, Bahamut fought back less and less. It was as if he wanted to die and disappear from existence forever. While Rikku and Paine were all too willing to give this to him, Yuna stopped.

She put her guns away, and walked up to her aeon, looking right into its eyes. Putting her hand softly on his face, the beast suddenly melted to a docile state. He laid down, curling himself up. Yuna whispered into his ear. Paine and Rikku watched as he transformed into a mass of pyreflies. Whatever she said defeated her aeon better than any weapon could. The girls, amazed by Yuna, were hesitant to walk over. The cloud of pyreflies broke apart, with each one ascending into the void. The girls looked up until they disappeared into the far distance.

Rikku spoke first, although she was reluctant to say anything, "Y-Yunie...what...just what did you say?"

Turning around, she looked her cousin right in the eye. Instead of speaking, she merely shook her head and smiled. It explained enough to Rikku, as she nodded and smiled back. Still confused, Paine shrugged. Then, the girls heard a loud tearing sound. Looking beside them, they saw a large, blue blob of light whirling.

"That's different." comment Rikku, ducking behind Yuna.

Paine laughed, "I think that's our ticket to the Farplane."

"You think?"

Yuna didn't need to think, as she instinctively walked into the light. In a flash, she was ushered away to the Farplane. She knew, as no place looked like this. From behind came Rikku and Paine. All three of the were instantly mystified by the crystalline world they had entered. On the ground, and elsewhere were grass and flowers. The shades of faded colors were just as beautiful as the last time they were here, fighting underneath the desert. At least this time, they could stand and enjoy the picturesque view.

Yuna laid down in the flowers, spreading herself out, watching the purplish hue on the bottom of the silvery clouds. She closed her eyes, as she imagined it was probably nearing night time back home in Spira.

"Wanna set up camp for the night?" asked Paine.

But Yuna was already asleep. She looked peaceful among the waving flowers. The breeze was cool, and somber. Rikku sat down next to her. She, too, could see that this was a place Yuna blended with. The three of them slept soundly, knowing that between where they had come, and where they were going, there was many dangers. Here, though, there was nothing but a tranquil peace. But tomorrow, there would be Vegnagun.

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**_Next chapter:_** The girls have realized that their battle with Vegnagun has almost arrived. First, they must make their way through the puzzles of the Farplane before they can reach their final foe. 


	51. Chapter 51 – To the End of the Road

**Chapter 51 – To the End of the Road**

_Just to let you all know, I created a forum for my fic. You can find the address in my personal profile._

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Paine peeked open her left eye. She was laying on her side, glancing her eye up at the sky. It remained the same as it was when she went asleep. It was hard to tell how long she slept, whether it was morning, afternoon, or night. Rolling over to her other side, she noticed Rikku and Yuna sleeping sound merely a foot away from her. This gave her the idea that she hadn't overslept. Knowing how much Rikku loved her sleep, if she was awake before her, she was alright.

The night before, or at least the nighttime to them, they had discovered a note left by Leblanc to them. Stuck in the ground, it told them that she and her goonies had already gone ahead, and they hoped to meet up with Gippal and Nooj before they found Vegnagun. They would be the calvary. A desolate cackling of Leblanc's voice echoed through their ears as they nervously read the letter. For them, at least, they had a night to think it over.

Sitting up, she outstretched her arms to the glimmering sky. The puffy clouds of silver still hovered over her head. Looking ahead, was the daunting risk to come. In fact, it had a physical form. At the far end of the floating rock they had been staying on, was a small, orangish swirl. Yuna, as she had also supposed, thought it was their portal to Vegnagun. She, just as Yuna, didn't know why she believed that – it was just a fact to them.

Rikku rolled over, draping her arm over Yuna's face. Feeling the light smack against her nose, her eyes began to twitch. Opening up her blue and green eyes, she, too, was greeted by the unchanging sky. Gently moving her cousin's arm, she got up.

"Good morning Paine," she whispered over.

"Heh," greeted Paine with a smile, "I can never understand how she sleeps so much."

The light giggling continued as Rikku slumped back over to her other side, mumbling something about lightning and Gippal. The girls thought it was cute how she sometimes would talk about Gippal in her sleep. They knew after her rendezvous with he and Nooj that she had a serious crush on him. Furthermore, they wondered just how far "she went" with him. Some of the lewd remarks made by Paine caused Yuna to blush. These were certainly things Brother should not be told, else they'd risk incurring the wrath of a psychotic Al Bhed.

After a little more time, the three of them were conscious and prepared for the unknown. They could only imagine what obstacles may lie ahead. Whatever it was, they were as ready for it as they could be. The time for pondering was over – it was time for action. As the girls approached the portal, it roared as it opened up. A human-sized whirling orange cloud appeared. In the middle of it was a slip of blackness. This was their ticket to Vegnagun.

As per their strategy, Paine was sent first. In Rikku's mind, if anything was their to eat them, Paine would be the tastiest. While not very appreciated, Paine elected to go first anyway, and stepped through the fissure. Rikku was next in line, however, and she was twitching like mad before the portal. Closing her eyes, she swallowed, and braved the void. Picking up her foot, she stepped in. With a flash, she was transported away, leaving only Yuna to make the leap.

She breathed in and let out a long burst of air. Before she was ready to step through, she head a sound. Caught by her ear, it was the faint call of a whistle. She searched around curiously as to where it emanated from. Again, she heard echoing throughout the Farplane, echoing of a familiar whistle. It was the same as before, the whistle she so desperately held in her fainest memories.

Spinning her body around, she sought to find where it was coming from. To the edges she ran, urgently looking for her love. She cared not his form, just that he was there. Turning back around, in front of her was Bahamut's Fayth. He looked up at her, his demeanor sulky and melancholy. She was startled by his sudden appearance.

"I'm glad to see you've made it this far Yuna."

She nodded to him, but the thought of Tidus still loomed in the back of her mind, "Yes..."

"I am sorry," he said abruptly, cutting off Yuna, "we, the Fayth, weren't able to stop the monsters lurking around us. Neither Kinoc, nor Shuyin. Instead, we became that which we feared most. Forgive us..."

She knelt down to him, "I do. But...please tell me one thing. What is Shuyin?"

"He is a mere shadow of himself. Although he may appear alive, he has been dead for a long time. His soul roams, filled with hate and vengeance. It became so strong, that it manifested into a shade...a shade that only seeks to rest."

"A shadow...I can defeat a shadow."

"Can you, Yuna?"

She nodded, very confident that she could heal the seething wounds of an ancient torment. If she could come to terms with Lenne's seemingly eternal pain, than she could do the same for Shuyin. Not only for her sake, and not only for the sake of Spira, but for the sake of Lenne. Through the trials, and the torment, she had come to love Lenne. She, as well as herself, deserved better than to live with a broken heart.

"Do you want to see him?" asked the Fayth out of the blue.

"W-what?"

"You've heard the whistle, haven't you?"

"Yes..." she whispered, her head nodding ever so slightly.

"Then we will try to bring him back."

"But...can that be done. I was told by another Fayth that it was impossible."

The Fayth shook his head profusely, "No...not impossible. He, unfortunately, was eaten by the darkness, and used as a pawn. I don't know...I don't know if we can do it, but we will try."

Yuna's face lit up brightly, "Thank you."

With those parting words, she went through the void. On the other side was a world even more puzzling and abstract than the Farplane she knew from seconds before. It looked like a gigantic trap, all laid out for their arrival. The girls worried if Nooj, Gippal, and Leblanc made it through safely. But, there was no way to know unless they ventured through it themselves.

The girls walked all at a time, side by side. They weren't afraid of anything. Still lodged in the back of Yuna's mind was the tiny, glimmering hope that she could have Tidus back. Regardless, she knew she would have to accomplish the task at hand first. Even if he didn't come back, it didn't matter. Her drive was set – set to reuniting Lenne with Shuyin.

However, in front of them was a triad of black, bubbly fiends hovering in the sky. Swirls of magical light surrounded them, revealing their obvious elemental properties. Still, these were different than the ones they would normally encounter. Rikku and Paine instantly choked on their breath. It was an elemental they fought in the depths of Bevelle. Paine cringed at the thought of fighting not one, but three of these tyrannical creatures.

Yuna, on the other hand, was not daunted at all by these fiends. She immediately pulled her pistols and began whaling at the one in the center. In little time, it disintegrated into pyreflies. Rikku and Paine, who had just reminded themselves of the terrible time they had with one, dropped their jaws at their friend's fearless display.

"What? Don't just stand there..."

Snapped out of their trance, they nodded with a sharp smile, and darted for the other two elementals. Perhaps it was their state of mind, or just the circumstances that had been under, but the battle went without a hitch. Only one managed to make an attack, and it was dodged cleanly by Rikku.

Dusting themselves off, the girls triumphantly continued, having defeated the elementals without hardly breaking a sweat. Then they came across a challenge of a different kind. On their level, Yuna glanced up, seeing the continuation of their path above them – high above them. At the edge of their road, they couldn't go ahead, so they would have to go up. Nonetheless, a number of small platforms dotted the air up to where they needed to go. In front of the edge was a mechanical device. On it, was displayed a staff of music notes. Underneath each note was a progression of pitches.

_So, Mi, Re, Do, Ti, La, So, Fa, Mi, Fa, So, Do_

Below that was a layout of those notes, much like that of a piano. When the screen was touched, the notes played out for them to hear. Paine rubbed her chin as she curiously gazed over the screen.

"This is different...anybody here play music? I'm just a drummer at heart."

Yuna laughed, "Heh, I know a little from singing."

"Aw...I got this!" belted Rikku, as she started playing some air guitar.

As she started to explain, the notes at the top must have something to do with getting up to the road above. A musical puzzle of sorts, the other smaller platforms must be the key, or keys rather. If they play them in the right order, than they should be able to proceed. Yuna and Paine looked at each other, and agreed, surprised to hear so many intelligent things come from Rikku's mouth at once.

"So what do we try first?" was the first question out of Paine's mouth.

"I dunno...let's start with that platform over there to the left."

She pointed to a little one hovering at the edge, close enough for them to step on. Paine shrugged, and stepped aboard. It floated up to a larger, stationary platform. There were two other ones beside it. Choosing one on a whim, Paine leaped over to the lower one. Standing there for a moment, nothing happened. Turning to look down at Rikku, she got a shrug in reply. Telling her to try the other one, Paine complied, and hopped over. This time, two notes played. Rikku, with her ear outstretched, gave her the thumbs up. The first notes lit up, a glowing "So, Mi" appeared.

"Come back down." said Yuna, waving to Paine.

"Ya know, I doubt we can stand here all day. But don't worry...I have this lil' tune memorized in my head." she smiled, pointing to her temple.

"A-are you sure Rikku?"

"No probs Yunie!"

Having almost complete faith in her cousin, Yuna and Rikku jumped to the other side of platforms. After a while of checking and rechecking, they completed almost all of the puzzle. Paine was panting from all the exercise she had gotten.

"Man...this sucks."

Yuna patted her on the back, "It's not that bad. This'll keep you in shape."

Cracking a smile, Paine asked Rikku what was left. Putting her finger to her lips, Rikku thought hard to remember the entire tune. Nodding to herself a few times, she eventually hammered out everything inside her head. They were almost done, just one more note to go.

Yuna made the last hop over to the platform hovering right below where they needed to go. On her tiptoes, she peered up over the edge. Looming a little beyond the path was a giant arch, glowing a pale teal light. She wondered what it was. Then she stepped in the center of the platform she was standing on, and the final note sounded.

"That should be it!" exclaimed Rikku.

Paine was a bit less celebratory, "That should?"

Needless to say, the girls went with caution to their destination. As Yuna saw previously, the metal arch was in front of them, still with a menacing dull glow. Yuna, still fearless as ever, stepped forward. As she brazenly crossed the arch, the pale light burst into brightness, and a flagrant sound rang around them. Immediately Yuna jumped backwards, along with Rikku and Paine. Forming in front of them was an enormous beast.

Bearing a stark resemblance to the Omega Weapon Yuna and Rikku fought in the Omega Ruins two years ago, the fiend snarled at them, as if it was guarding Vegnagun from them. The girls instantly gripped their weapons – no knockoff fiend would stop them.

With a screech, it reared its entire upper body back and catapulted a giant blast at the girls. Luckily, they had stayed far enough back to be able to avoid the blast. Staring at the charred ground, the girls starting thinking this wasn't any imitation.

But they had powers of their own. Yuna fired off a barrage of pin-point shots at the fiend's legs and arms. Even with a full clip, it appeared that it didn't penetrate the fiend's tough exterior very much. It was far from disabled, and went on the offensive. Lashing at Paine, its massive hand clenched her up from the ground. Squeezing tightly, she screeched as its compressed her insides.

Rikku fumbled to get over to her. Yuna, shaking to hurry and place in a new set of bullets, lodged two special, blue ones in the first two barrels. Clicking it back into place, she immediately aimed for the fiend's hand, firing her blue bullet. Striking precisely where she wanted it to, a pile steam and pyreflies blew out of the hole she put in its wrist. This made it let go of Paine. Plummeting to the ground, she was caught by a waiting Rikku. Angered to the point of a boil, she got out of her cradled catch and growled at the fiend.

"Hurt me? Heh, now I'm pissed. Time to eat it all back!"

Pointing her sword to the sky, she began to glow. The fiend, apprehensive about her overaggressive posture, went to swipe at her. Then a large, roaring sound hailed from above. Much like what Trema had called, a fleet of gigantic meteorites fell from above. One by one, they crushed the fiend, smashing it into oblivion. When the final rock hurdled to the ground, there was nothing left but pyreflies and craters.

Rikku did a diving hug on Paine, "Woo-hoo! Go Paine!"

"Um...how..." glared Yuna, her hand still shaking from the vibrations of the crash.

Pointing her sword at the craters, she replied, "That was me mad. Don't ever make me mad."

The girls laughed, although they got the message. With their obstacle out of the way, the only thing left was Vegnagun. While these little laughs were relieving, the prevalent task still loomed over them. This was it, the final stretch. In each of their eyes, they knew the end was at hand, and it wouldn't be easy. Yuna still hoped she could turn all the centuries of Shuyin's hatred and anguish. They would see just how determined of a beast Vegnagun could be.

Yuna led them ahead, not satisfied to stand around and dwell over it. Down a long, winding path they went. Some suspense built up in their guts. Rikku could feel the knot in her stomach tightened as they proceeded farther and farther down. Then, as they neared the end, it came into sight. Vegnagun, the monster they witnessed in Bevelle, and in the ancient images gathered by Shinra, rested against a towering spire.

It stood far taller than any building in Spira, even those in Bevelle. Rikku hid behind Yuna, as even from afar, the beast had a terrifying glare. Its massive arms and legs were intimidating. This truly was a super weapon. They could hardly imagine that this was made over a millennium go. In the far distance, approaching Vegnagun, was Leblanc. Spotted by Paine, she yelled out to them, but they were too far to hear.

"I don't know about you, but Leblanc cannot handle a weapon like this alone." she stated firmly, but truthfully.

Rikku shivered, "A-are you sure we can?"

Yuna, staring right into the unlit eyes of the tyrant, inhaled deeply. Blowing it back out, she gripped on to Rikku's hand. Then, looking directly into her eyes, she smiled – confident and assuring.

"We can...because we have to."

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_**Next chapter: **The final battle begins. After all this time, the girls come to fight the beast which seeks to destroy Spira. From the bottom, they must work their way up to Shuyin. But, of course, they won't have to do it alone._


	52. Chapter 52 – The End Game Begins

**Chapter 52 – The End Game Begins**

Leaping across a long, treacherous void, Leblanc and her duo of goons tried to focus on getting to Vegnagun. One misstep, and it was an endless fall. Neither Ormi nor Logos was particularly joyed to be doing this. Even a glance up at the towering beast scared them. Their boss, however, was unaffected – almost. While her confidence was strong to the point of fault, even the notion of fighting Vegnagun sent chills down her spine. The few tidbits of information describing the super weapon to her from Nooj didn't prepare her for the sight of it in person.

Still, the first thing they needed to accomplish was to actually get to it. Shuyin spared no expense in setting up a masterful array of security to protect his object of revenge. It was needless for anyone to say that he was a diabolical madman. But even his traps couldn't deter those willing to protect the life of Spira.

Taking one final hop, Leblanc landed on the large, circular platform at the base of Vegnagun. Its massive, spiked tail rested dormant above them. From behind them, they heard a voice yelling to them.

"Look boss," pointed out Ormi, waving his finger, "it's Yuna!"

Sure enough, when Leblanc turned around to look, she saw the Gullwings jumping the platforms as fast as they could to catch up. After about half a minute, they made it. Leblanc greeted the girls, wondering what took them so long.

"You girls sure take your time."

Rikku huffed, "Excuse us! We waited for you at Besaid for hours."

Leblanc glared angrily at Ormi as he explained, "Heh, oh well...that was my fault. I thought I knew where the island was, but I lost the map. I kinda got mixed up...but we eventually found Kilika. We went in there."

"That explains everything," smiled Paine, "so what do you guys have in mind we do about this hunk of metal."

Leblanc sighed as she crossed her arms, "Well loves...that's a good question. Right now I believe, my Noojie is trying to help his friend who was possessed by that sinister man."

"Baralai you mean?"

"Yes, that's him. But... I haven't been able to find him."

Rikku scratched her head, "I thought you said he'd sent you a message from here?"

"I did...but that must have been from somewhere else. Argh! All these places look the same!"

Logos stepped up to speak, "Boss, perhaps we should climb higher to see if he is up there."

Leblanc agreed, "Good idea! You girls care to join?"

Yuna smiled concisely, "Yes!"

As they scaled the tower holstering the beast, it became all the more clear the magnitude of destruction this weapon was capable of. Each part of its body was titanic, dwarfing most structures in Spira. Yuna was especially afflicted, as Vegnagun far out stood even her beloved aeons in size and stature. Its shadow covered all of them, and seemingly stretched to the edges of the void itself.

Leblanc was the first to notice that up the winding path, there was shouting. At first, nobody could discern who or what it was. Then as they approached, a familiar blond man came into view. Gippal was fuming, screaming at something high above him. Nooj, too, was standing there next to him. His face held a grim and agitated expression. As they neared, Yuna looked up to the top of Vegnagun. She saw another figure at its head. Seated in what looked to be an organ, was Baralai. At least, it was Baralai's body. A transparent apparition melded with him – the spirit of Shuyin.

"Noojie!" yelled Leblanc with joy.

Catching his attention, he looked with shock as he saw not only her, but the Gullwings as well. He hobbled over to them on his crutch. Gippal hadn't noticed anything; he was still deadlocked in his shouting match with Shuyin.

Nooj sighed, "The situation doesn't look good."

"Rikku asked, "Why not?"

"Heh...it's only a matter of time before the fight breaks out."

"That only means we have to stop him right now." stated Paine, slamming her fist into her other palm.

"Perhaps. Do you guys have any ideas?"

Nobody spoke. As Nooj expected, they had no idea how to take down such a large war machine. Bowing his head, he smirked.

"I thought as much. Don't worry..." as he spoke, he pulled out an old pistol, "Shuyin acts through a host. Shoot the host, and he'll leave. I'll shoot Baralai, hopefully not killing him. Then Shuyin will come for me."

Rikku shuttered, "T-then what?"

"I'm rigged, so I'll take him down with me. It's not much of a plan, but I'll make sure he doesn't ever come back."

Everyone stared at Nooj, horrified that he would even suggest a plan as he did. Nobody wanted to answer, as nobody approved. Leblanc went into a fit, shrieking at the idea of Nooj dying. Paine's face turned pale. Finally, Yuna stepped up to him.

"I think your plan sucks."

The uncharacteristic bluntness of Yuna jolted everyone. Her cross eyes starred right into Nooj's. He then laughed, in a way lauding Yuna's gall. She continued to speak.

"Far too many of my friends have died in the past...and I don't want that anymore. There are ways other than self-sacrifice to win. I thought that wasn't possible two years ago when I fought Sin. I threw away my aeons – right before my eyes. I comforted myself, believing that it was a just necessity. Then the smiles of the people, telling us 'You're wonderful. You saved us.' But, in the end, the people who should have been with me smiling, weren't there."

Nooj nodded. He understood completely her heartfelt words. In his lifetime, he had been under assault from casualties we wanted to avoid. For him, it was too many to count – too many to stomach.

"I know you mean to do as you say. Please, give me that resolve. Believe in me...believe that we can win, together."

Rikku cheered. Both Paine and Leblanc were behind Yuna. A pearly grin spread across Nooj's face. He happily agreed. Together they would seek victory, not death. Even in his jumbled, scattered life, he could still stir the desire to fight on.

Paine asked the obvious, "So then...what's the battle plan?"

"Yeah Yunie, you got a scheme brewin'?"

"Well...Vegnagun is just a machina right? Can't it be dismantled like any other one, right Rikku?"

"Sure, I think..."

Leblanc interrupted, sticking her fan out at Yuna, "That may or may work love. What do we do then?"

Rikku shook her head, "Yeah! A plan B?"

Yuna smiled and nodded, "Love."

Nooj chuckled under his breath, "Ah, the ultimate illusion..."

"At his core, Shuyin just wants to love Lenne again."

"Oh yes!" proclaimed Leblanc, "The power of love conquerors all! Count me in!"

Suddenly behind them, a shot rang off. The beast in front of them started to become active. Gippal could be heard shouting in Al Bhed. Up top, Shuyin could be seen playing the organ embedded in Vegnagun. The cold, dormant monster became alive. Yelling behind him, Gippal said to move. Vegnagun smashed its giant hand into the ground, knocking everyone to their backs.

"I think it's pissed!" bellowed Ormi as he scrambled to his boss.

"Watch out boss!" called Logos, also darting to Leblanc.

"It's time to attack!" ordered Nooj, "let's divide and conqueror this terror. I'll help Gippal up here."

"We got the legs!" Leblanc replied, hastily going on the offensive.

Rikku shrugged, "Guess we got the tail."

The girls ran down to the base of the spire. The mighty tail lashed around, surging up a blinding think cloud of dust. Coughing there way through, the Gullwings formed up and launched their attack. Paine took a leaping cut at the tail. Her sword penetrated only an inch or two into its metallic armor.

"For a piece of history, it still is durable."

Rikku launched herself next, slashing like mad with her twin blades. They had even less effect on its thick hide. Yuna fired three rounds, but they bounced off like rubber. The girls were alarmed by their sudden lack of options. Firing back, a small laser in the tip of the tail charred up the ground. Paine, standing in its line of fire, deflected the blast with her sword. It put a nasty black spot on the blade. She cringed as to what it might do against flesh.

Rikku tried to counter with a grenade, but the explosion did little but to kick up dirt. Paine tired summoning up her dark orbs. They did manage to damage the tail, but it took more out of Paine than it did the machina. Vegnagun's tail lashed out, slamming itself hard on the ground. Landing right next to Rikku, she bounced unnaturally into the air. Plopping chin first, a trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth. Paine rushed over, covering her while she got up.

"Rikku, are you ok?"

She spit out some blood, "Eh...weah. I hink I hit my hongue."

Yuan growled, scouring up and down the tail, searching for a weak spot. Thinking she might have found one, she hoped her idea would work. She yelled to Paine to stand near the tip of its tail. While Paine didn't understand why, Yuna demanded that she needed to. Just as she hoped, the tail focused its laser on Paine. Dashing behind her, she lined up her pistol, and fired a bullet directly up it.

With an explosion of fire, half the tail split into two. Sparking to the ground, it lay dead. Paine blew out the gasp of air she was holding, thinking she was going to get cut into pieces. They celebrated for a moment, but knew there work was far from done. Running back up to where they came, they met an injured Ormi and Logos half way. Yuan knelt down to Logos.

"What happened?"

"The boss went on to help Nooj," he whimpered, "and told us to stay here and fight this thing. Well...it about killed us!"

"Yeah, this thing's too much for us!" chimed in Ormi.

Paine put her hands on her hips, "Heh, don't worry guys...we'll handle it from here. Just go help Leblanc."

"You got it" they said in conjunction, and scampered up the spire.

"Ok then...this might be a little tougher than the last." deduced Rikku, to her own displeasure.

Three balls of color were implanted beside the monster's leg. Just as imposing, Vegnagun's large leg shadowed the girls. They didn't even want to know what those red, blue, and yellow globes were capable of. But, they were about to find out. Vegnagun attack first, striking the ground repeatedly with its enormous foot. The girls rumbled with the vibrations, unable to move from fear of falling.

Then, the red orb charged up. A glow and sparkles swirled around it, reflecting off its shiny exterior. A fiery blast flew out from it. The magic blew a hole in the ground in front of the girls. They could feel heat blasting from the explosion. As best they could, they spread out, not wanting to make themselves vulnerable to the same attack.

Paine took a swing with her sword, and found that the old leg wasn't as tough as the tail had been. She put a sharp wound in the leg, sparks bursting out from the cut. However, the blue orb charged some magic, and covered the leg with it. Instantly, the tear had healed. Paine scoffed, and tired something different. She and Rikku both attacked the same area one after another. This had made a series of deep rips in the metal leg, and it caught on fire. Both the red and green orbs fired volleys of various magic at the girls.

Yuan was ready with magic of her own. Casting a glowing orb of orange around each of them, the magic was absorbed harmlessly. Getting the nod from Yuna, the girls finished their job. Hacking the leg up, it became severed, and eventually fell into the abyss below them. Two parts down, but still much more to go.

Running up the spire again, this time climbing higher and higher until they reached its torso. On a large area, almost like an arena, they saw Gippal firing wildly at the machine. Leblanc had Nooj back to the edge, tending to him. The girls ran over to check on him.

"What happened? Nooj, are you hurt?"

He flinched from the pain as Leblanc lifted up his right arm, "Argh...yeah, I'll survive. Damn thing hit my arm...I guess I was a little careless."

"Oh my poor Noojie..." soothed Leblanc, completely ignoring the scared pleas of her goons.

"Don't worry 'bout a thing Nooj," asserted Rikku, throwing her arm up into the air, "we'll take this thing."

At that moment, Vegnagun slammed Gippal to the ground. In the middle of her pose, Rikku shrieked and ran over to him. He was bruised, but not too injured. He smiled up her, giving her a wink. Carrying him out of harm's way, she laid him down next to Nooj.

"Man buddy...we made horrible warriors. Must be gettin' old..."

"You said it. It's time for the home."

Paine, "Don't take this so lightly. What if you..."

Nooj put his hand up to her face, "We have all the confidence in you. Go...fight!"

Her face showed her renewed determination. She nodded with tenacity, and spun herself around sharply. Yuna knelt down and put her hand on Leblanc's shoulder.

"Please, take them away from here. We don't want any casualties."

Ormi and Logos were more than happy to comply. Leblanc carried Nooj himself, even though he insisted to walk on his own. Making sure they made it away safely, they refocused their attention on the beast in front of him. Partly disabled, but still operational, they couldn't leave until Vegnagun was destroyed, and Baralai was freed.

Two massive arms guarded the gigantic breastplate of it. The girls stood to a distance from it; they were unsure of what it was capable of. From past experience, they knew it was more than likely going to be dangerous. And they were right, as even from their separation, one of the arms took a swipe at Yuna, clipping her. She fell to the ground, and almost fell off the edge. She pulled herself up, and tilted her head back.

Sucking in a gasp of air, she shouted, "Shuyin! Don't do this!"

But there was no reply. The monster went into full action, and began firing magic attacks. As before, they were being absorbed, but the shells around the girls were quickly fading – they had to act fast. A glimmer of hope came from Paine. She directly everyone to hit the center of this beast with everything they had.

Paine fired a stream of dark orbs at it, as well as the arms to keep them from attacking. Explosions ensued, and the arms went dormant. The chest as well began to crack and sparkle. Yuna fired barrage after barrage at it, the bullets penetrating the thick shell. They began to tired, and stop their onslaught. After a few seconds, however, the sound of an organ echoed across the Farplane. The arms again began to move. Paine tried to summon more orbs, but was nearly out of strength.

Rikku flipped herself around in the air, ducking and dodging like a fiend. She distracted them for Yunie. Her cousin continued to fire upon the chest. Finally, she broke a hunk of its armored shell large enough for Rikku to act. Sprinting over to it, she stuck in a grenade. Tick, tick, tick – the countdown sounded. At its end, a tremendous explosion flared inside Vegnagun. Multiple blasts continued in the chain. Crippled immensely, the beast came crashing down onto the arena – its head plopping to the ground before the girls.

Only silence followed. The girls, once the swarm of dirt and debris settled, gazed around. They wondered if it was over. But they weren't finished, as a piercing scream belted from atop Vegnagun. In view was Baralai, still enrobed with Shuyin. He sneered at the girls as he jumped from his organ.

"Oh man, I think he's got a plan B too!" cried Rikku.

"Stay focused," Yuna ordered, she staring directly into Shuyin's eyes, "this is it. Please Shuyin...let me free your soul."

* * *

_**Next chapter:** The final chapter in Yuna's long story. Will it be the end for Yuna, or the beginning for Shuyin and Lenne? The ending will be unconventional in the way I'm do it. Anyway, you'll find out before New Year's..._


	53. Chapter 53 – As Light Bleeds to Dusk

**Chapter 53 – As Light Bleeds to Dusk**

_In every story, there comes a time when all must be finish. And, just as in every other story, this is the end. However, sometimes there can be multiple endings. When I first conceived this story nearly a year ago, I came up with a reasonably acceptable end. But, during the course of writing it, I created another ending. It, too, was acceptable, but not anywhere near pleasant. They were equal with merit, but only one could I stomach._

_So I've decided to present both endings to you. Whether it will be sad or happy, tragic or triumphant, only one end can reign. This chapter, as well as the next, will be the end. However, which end is the true ending is something I'll leave up to you._

_P.S. - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Guys!_

* * *

From above, Shuyin stared down at the girls – especially Yuna. But to him, he only saw his love. Even a thousand years could not wipe from his memory Lenne. She was engraved into his mind; she was an image he would never let go of. His eyes were frigid, fixated in one narrow path. Yet deep within his gaze was a sense of overwhelming fear. He was afraid of what lay deep within Yuna. She could see this, and she realized why he was afraid. His regret, perhaps, of what he had done for the last ten centuries had collected itself within him. He was ashamed to face her, knowing she would never have approved of what he had done.

A glow began to sparkle around Yuna. She, as well as Rikku and Paine, found herself fitted in her songstress dress. A halo of blue engulfed the pyreflies dancing around her. The sound of a crystalline sparkle rang in their ears. This was the power of the Farplane, the fantasy land of the dead, at its peak. Yuna felt dizzy, her sight and mind became hazed. Shaking her head, she reopened her eyes only to see Shuyin staring right in front of her. She could almost reach out and touch him. Taken aghast, she step backwards, gasping at his sudden appearance before her.

He followed by stepping forward, closing the small distance between them. Paine stammered to attack him, but was stopped by her own force. She braced herself to guard Yuna if necessary, but Shuyin made no attempt to attack her. Instead, his eyes showed nothing but infatuation. He raised his hand to touch Yuna's cheek. Even though he held a menacing expression just moments before, he now was docile. He smiled at her.

"Shuyin..." spoke Yuna, as well as a voice from inside.

"Lenne? Is that truly you my love?"

Yuna bowed her head, her cheeks flush, "T-there's something...something I must tell you."

She squeezed her hands together firmly. The tears formed in her eyes. Not hers, but Lenne's. Just as she had before, she felt Lenne's soul enrapture her own. They became one in all forms of consciousness. Finally, after all this time, she had access to all of Lenne's self – her feelings, her emotions, her heart.

Just as that which was buried in Shuyin's eyes, she felt the same feelings of guilt, remorse, and disappointment. Her heart was broken in dismay by Shuyin's horrid actions. And she knew, from the start, that all of this had occurred. How many hundreds of years did she live with this, Yuna couldn't tell. She understood one thing, Lenne still forgave him. As wretched a creature as he became, she still forgave his sins. These were the words Shuyin wanted to hear, but knew he didn't deserve. It was the split between their two hearts, bleeding a thousand years of pain.

"I...I am grateful for you, Shuyin." Yuna finally continued, the long pause rattling her nerves to the brink, "You came for me...even at the end. You stayed with me, and you loved me..."

"What does it matter!" he screamed suddenly, backing violently away from her, "I couldn't save you! Dammit Lenne, that's all I wanted to do...and I couldn't do it..."

She spoke again, even as the tears poured from both their eyes, "I...I know. But to do this...it wasn't right."

"I-I know...but what else could I do? As I wandered, I had nothing else to me...but you."

"Please, stop grieving now. You're not alone. We can...rest – together."

His eyes glowed, large and ready to fade from existence. He lifted up in the air, and left Baralai's body. Paine ran over to take him away. Walking over to Yuna, he extended his hand, ready to embrace his lover. But it was not Lenne that he saw. Coming to his senses, he choked as he saw Yuna, and not Lenne, standing in front of him.

"No...you are not Lenne!"

Yuna stretched out with her hand, "Wait! Shuyin!"

He roared, "Get away from me! You...you aren't Lenne! Damn you for trying to trick me! How could have I..."

His teeth clenched together. His face wrinkled with anger and rage. Lashing out, he bellowed at Yuna. During his fit, he had climbed up on the face of Vegnagun. He drew out a blitzball, one laden with spikes.

"I will let no one ever get in my way! I will destroy Spira!"

With a fierce kick, he launched the ball at Yuna. She spun to avoid its bounce off the ground, leaving a group of puncture marks in the dirt. Paine drew her sword. Rikku threw a blue grenade his way, exploding above him. The burst of water caused him to slip off and fall to the ground. When he got up, his eyes burned with a maddening fury.

Leaving his ball behind, he darted towards the girls. Paine, attempting to get in his path, was slide kicked. His velocity matched his tyranny. From the slide he stood up immediately, even before Paine had hit the ground. Rikku was next in his way, but dismissed with ease. He took her by the arm, and hung her in the air before she realized what was happening. With a fist, he punched her twice in the mouth. He had no more consideration for anything.

Dropping her senselessly to the ground, he shot his eyes to Yuna. She was standing there, her gun pointed at him. An equal fire of emotion swelled within her. This was her last stand, and she wasn't about to back down.

"You imposture! Why would you try to trick me?" he yelled in accusation.

She sighed, closing her eyes, "Don't you understand? Can't you feel the pain in your own soul? Has the centuries left you numb..."

"Numb? How could I ever be numb?" he raged, swinging his fist in the air wildly, "I've felt suffering and loss longer than anyone alive!"

"But is that all you feel? I saw it in your eyes..."

"Saw? Saw what?"

"The guilt. It burns behind your anger."

"What do you know? How could you possibly comprehend what it is to feel pain? What it's like to wallow in the anguish of knowing your love is dead and gone from you forever?"

"More than you know." she stated firmly, a position which surprised Shuyin, "You see...I, too, have lost my love...two years ago. While two years may seem like nothing to your millennium...to me...it has felt like an eternity. And...I as well will never have him back..."

"Then you should know why I've done what..."

"No I can't!" she shouted above him, "Don't you realize...all the pain you've caused for others?"

"What do I care? They deserve it, they deserve to feel what I have felt."

"You're wrong..."

"Then we will see."

Without another word, Shuyin climbed back to the top of Vegnagun. Standing at the organ, he began playing a contorted melody – one of suffering and condemnation. It pierced the air, and shivered Yuna. By now, Paine had gotten back up, herself recovered from the tackle. Rikku was still on the ground, woozy and bleeding from the nose. Paine hobbled over to help her. They watched and listened to the requiem he was playing.

From within the pits of Vegnagun transformed its weapon, that which would destroy all. It formed an enormous cannon, one so large that it seemed to stretch to the edge of the Farplane. It even dwarfed Vegnagun itself. Shuyin cackled insanely.

"Spira deserves no less than to drown in its own destruction. It sought this monster, and now it will reap what it has sown."

A bright charge of light gathered and swirled around the cannon. The girls had no idea what potential of devastation it could do, and they didn't want to find out. In a daring move, Yuna started to climb up on the barrel, her eyes locked onto Shuyin. He was still playing the keys of his organ, his fingers darting chaotically. The chords of sorrow only furthered the charge.

"I will show Spira the power of the demise they created!"

Yuna clung desperately to the cannon, its vibrations causing her body to shutter. She felt her nerves go numb. Crawling with all her strength, she focused to reach Shuyin. Seeping from her veins was the desire to save him from his own insanity. The love and loss he felt had exploded into a fit of raw chaos. The charge now sparked out of the end of the cannon; it was about to fire. Shuyin let out one last, horrifying laugh. Yuna had almost reached him, but she knew she would be too late.

In a last attempt to save their souls, she pulled out her pistol, whispering to herself, "If only...if only you were here..."

Firing a barrage of shots, she blasted the organ with her bullets. Screaming at her, Shuyin began hammering at the keys again, seeing that the cannon was malfunctioning. Bolts of electricity raged from it and the cannon. The shocks sent Shuyin falling backwards, his hands charred. Yuna tried to climb over to him, but she was caught up in what ensued.

The cannon raged, and the melody died. Firing its charge, a beam of energy streaked across the sky of the Farplane, lighting up the dreary cloud above it. The cannon, and most of Vegnagun itself, was disintegrated in the spectacular blast. Yuna had ruptured the controls, and sent it spiraling out of control. Everything in the area was vaporized. The blast, sent heralding to Spira, crashed into the Calm Lands.

In an instant, the once peaceful plain was now a molten wasteland. Everything was gone. Ripped from the ground, the chocobo, the people – they were all annihilated. In the flicker of a flame, a portion of Spira suffered under an instant cataclysm.

In the Farplane, underneath the remnants of Vegnagun, were Rikku and Paine. Buried by the rubble, they had been far enough outside the blast radius to survive. Yet they were badly burned. The smell of death choked them as they rose from the ash and soot. The charred air crackled with the burnt out flames of the former machine. Rikku, hobbling to her feet, started searching for her cousin.

"Y-Yunie..."

Her eyes darted around, wondering if she was alright. Just moments before, she had seen her on top of the cannon. She saw the expression of desperation ridden on her face. Now, the place where she was just at, was a crater in the ground. Paine, who was ahead of her, began moving the rubble. They frantically searched for her. For hours, they anxiously explored for her. But, it was no use. This time, Yuna was dead, and there was no coming back.

When the girls realized this, they went into an unfathomable shock. Even though it seemed like a short time, Leblanc, as well as Nooj and Gippal, came back for them a day later. In the scattered debris, Rikku kept digging, even when Gippal tried to pull her from it. She shouted out violently, throwing herself around madly. Again, she had lost her cousin, her beloved friend. Again, she was without Yuna.

She had saved Spira, at least most of it. When they had arrived back to Spira, out from the treacherous reaches of the Farplane, they knew their long, staining mission was accomplished. But it was far from sweet – but more wretched than bittersweet. Aboard the Celsius, it was dark – not in the sense of light, but in the sense of life. It seemed more real this time, that Yuna was gone. How were they going to bury her again? What were they going to tell Spira? What would they tell Lulu? It had only been recently did they take down her grave in Bevelle, and now they would have to put it up again.

When they arrived on Besaid, they were greeted by a host of islanders. At the forefront, was Wakka and Lulu. In her arms, she held her child. As they would learn from the overexcited father, he was born only hours after they left. Rikku and Paine, who were noticeably wrecked, didn't know what to say. Finally, once Lulu knew something was amiss when she didn't see Yuna, Paine stepped forward.

"Lulu...she's dead."

It was concise, but it was all that needed to be said. Lulu nearly fainted, her eyes instantly flooding with tears. Wakka grabbed his tiny infant as she fell to the ground. On the tip of her tongue were all the things she was patiently waiting to tell Yuna about her son. Those thoughts were squashed under just three words. It took her hours to settle down. In the meantime, Rikku and Paine explained to Wakka and the other islands what had happened. For the last time, she had given herself to the safety of Spira. It's wellbeing was secured, but not until she endured the ultimate sacrifice.

While everyone was strung out, a voice whispered in Rikku's ear. She recognized it as the Fayth, Bahamut. He was frantic. Rumbling to her, he told Rikku to run down to the beach. While she herself was unable to think clearly, she managed to force herself down to the ocean. For a few minutes, she stood there, wondering why he had ordered her there. Then, out in the ocean, she saw a figure swimming up to the shore. Beyond any beliefs she ever held, she couldn't imagine what she saw was possible.

It was Tidus, swimming onto the sand of the beach. He stood up, glistening in the sunlight. Looking at Rikku, he waved to her and smiled. She now realized why the Fayth was so disturbed. In his good faith act, he had committed a horrible atrocity.

Walking up to her, he gave her a hug. While she needed the embrace so desperately, she couldn't bear to be held in the arms by Yuna's love. Pushing him back, she burst into tears. Hammering his chest with her fists, she cried uncontrollably. Just fresh out of the water, he hardly had time to understand his own self, let alone why Rikku was balling.

The shock spread as he reached the village. Like a ghost haunting the living, the islanders looked upon him in horror. They wondered if he had replaced their summoner - one in life, and one in the Farplane. His eyes bent with tension as he saw the distraught gazed cast onto him. While barely born anew, he understood that something pained them deeply. But further than that, he thought to where his love was. Where was Yuna?

He half-barged into Wakka and Lulu's hovel. To his surprise, he found that they were crying with the same intensity as Rikku. Lulu was buried deep within Wakka's chest. Standing beside them was a girl he'd never seen, also sobbing. It was as if he stepped out of the Farplane and into a hell that wasn't supposed to exist. Wakka's face turned pale at his sight. When Lulu, squinting out of her watery eyes, saw him, she gasped.

Rikku sat him down, for a long, painful talk. He was reborn, but reincarnated into a world without Yuna. The cruelty had only begun to seep in as he explained what had happened to him. The Fayth had gathered their powers to renew him. It was Yuna's request – a gift they wished to present to her. Against all odds, they succeeded. But they had not realized Yuna had been turned to ash as they completed the process. Somewhere, in the ethereal spaces that existed between life and death, they had passed – unbeknownst to each other.

Days later, he watched on as they again laid her casket into the ground. On top, was the same elegant burial marker, a symbol of her dedication to Spira, and their dedication to her. For the second, and last time, she had saved them – all of them. Except those unfortunate souls who were in the Calm Lands. As reports of the devastation spread throughout Spira, those who died also became known. This was further realized when they did not attend Yuna's mass.

One of them was the venerable Maechen. A few locals in Bevelle had said he had went their to study, just as he always had done. Another person lost was Elma, one of the former guards of the Crusaders, and a member of the Youth League. She had been visiting Clasko, who was also dead. Although saddening, he did die with his chocobo, not that this made it any better to stomach.

The hardest one for Spira to cope with, aside from Yuna, was Rin. He had bought some chocobo from Clasko to take back to Mi'hen as part of his initiative to revitalize their population. While nobody knew except those now dead, he had planned to ask Nhadala to marry him the next day. She was at his agency in Mi'hen, awaiting for him to come back. Invited there personally by him, she did not, and never found out, why he sought for her to come. Even though, deep within her own heart, she recounted how much she felt about him, and he of her. Nevertheless, there was no longer any need to know.

This funeral was as much for them as it was for Yuna. Through the tragedy, the citizens of Spira looked for some good. They found none. Although they were safe, as Yuna had banished Sin and Shuyin, they realized how pitiful they were. They had relied on a little girl to teach them – to save them. And while she was much more than just a little girl, the point still stung.

The Youth League and New Yevon quickly came to terms with their disagreements with Baralai and Nooj back at the helms. They made sure all of their followers knew exactly how much Yuna had done for them. In song and through battle, she had altered Spira more so than any other force had in its tormented history.

On the top of Mount Gagazet, in their way of tributing her, the Ronso erected a statue of Yuna. With the wispy clouds hovering above it, it signified her strength in a way that any Spiran could understand. It, of course, was no replacement for the real thing. The emptiness of its stony figure was felt in Kimahri's heart. While it anguished him everyday for the rest of his life, looking up to the statue made him a stronger leader. Until his death, he gathered his power to lead the Ronso from her spirit. And strength he had, as the Ronso flourish, eventually making peace with the Guado, just as Yuna would have wanted.

Many other things still remained the same. Luca was still a bustling center of trade and blitzball. Yuna became the Auroch's symbol just as much as their logo. They went on to win the championship for the next three years in a row.

The Guado, while making peace with the Ronso, never left Macalania. Although it was a dank and desireless home, they sheltered themselves in the ruins of the forest. From there, the Guado's existence was a quaint one. Quietly they lived by themselves, away from the forefront of Spiran life.

Nhadala eventually left Bikanel to run Rin's Travel Agency. Due to her ingenuity, which was what probably attracted Rin to her the most, she expanded upon his Sphere Break game. It became widely successful. She never did forget her idiotic coworkers, Gadrock and Rhala, and the adventures in the desert sand.

Leblanc continued her syndicate of sphere hunting. She even hooked up with Nooj, although the Youth League members never did take kindly to her. Next to his portrait on the wall of her room in Guadosalam was a picture of Yuna. While the Dullwings were her stiffest competition, she could admire Yuna just as much as anyone else in Spira. Into her old age, she, Logos, and Ormi told the stories of her selfless heroics in the Farplane.

Needless to say, the place which took the longest to recover was Besaid. While the Aurochs success brought some relief, it was a bleak place for long after that day. Lulu was never the same. Vidina never had the godmother she had wanted him to have. Still, she cherished her child with both her love for him and for Yuna. He eventually grew up to be a star blitzball player, just like his old man. However, just like Tidus, he lost his father young. On his way back from Luca before Vidina's tenth birthday, his ship crashed and sank, with him dying at sea.

Rikku and Tidus watched as the waves crashed against the sand. The sun was setting, and the beautiful colors of dusk bled across the sky. There was not a cloud hanging above them. But neither one of them could enjoy the sunset. Without that which was most precious, one cannot enjoy anything. At least to them, that was how it seemed their life had become.

"So...what will you do now?" she asked Tidus, as she moved the sand with her foot.

He sighed, deeply and painfully, "I don't know. Where is there for a lonely soul to go..."

Not another word was spoken between them. It was the last sunset either one of them spent on the island. The next morning, the two of them left. While on the same day, and because of the same reasons, they did not leave together. Although she wanted to ask Paine, she knew Besaid was where she wanted to stay. As she had promised herself before, Paine settled down in Besaid. She never found someone to be with, but she didn't need anyone. Happily she settled down, playing with the children and sowing quilts together. But, at least to her, more importantly, she told children and travelers of the woman who changed her life.

Rikku ventured off to places unknown. For a year she traveled around the lands of Spira, even to the charred remains of the Calm Lands. Eventually she ended up in Djose, and married Gippal. They, along with his Machine Faction, left for Bikanel, where she lived out most of the rest of her life. She only returned once to Besaid, for Wakka's funeral. She kept her distance from any place where she could remember Yuna. It was said by Gippal after she died, that she always carried a small sphere of Yuna when she was a child to remind herself of how special she was to her.

When Tidus left Besaid, he was never heard from nor seen from again. After the years had faded by, it became lore that he again turned into a spirit. Some say he went to Zanarkand to die again, and fly back to his love. Others say that he roamed Spira, searching for a way to bring her back into the world.

Such was the world that Spira became. Like the tragedy that occurred a thousand years before, Yuna was torn from her love, and destined never to have him back. Tidus and Yuna, just as Shuyin and Lenne, could never realize their passion. But if one hopeful thing resulted from their twisted fate, it was that Spira would never again be plagued by its spiral of death and despair. Yuna had accomplished what no summoner could ever have. If only she could have experienced it herself, she surely would have smiled.

**The End**

* * *

_There is, of course, no "next chapter." However, as I said before, there is another path for fate to travel. If you accept this as the end, then you need not read any farther. But if you believe that Yuna's love deserves more, then hold out for just a little longer. Come January 3rd, I'll put up the other last chapter. Until then, happy holidays!_


	54. Chapter 54 – A Life to Smile For

**Chapter 54 – A Life to Smile For**

_This truly is it! This is the other ending to the story, for those not happy with the last. It's been fun writing this for so long. I can't believe this got to be so long. Well, actually...when I was sitting around way back in January and February hashing the story out in my mind, I kinda thought it might get big. However, actually writing it all was the amazing part. I usually have trouble doing long projects, and this one took a year. A year to the day, truthfully speaking. And what a way to commemorate, ya?_

_I'd also like to take this uh, paragraph to thank a couple of people – Dancing Summoner, Warui-Usagi, especially. Thanks you guys for supporting me with your frequent reviews. Also, thanks to Motet for the same, as well as everyone else whose read and reviewed my fic. It's always good for an author to know someone's actually reading his story. _

_I hope you've all had a good holiday, and I wish you the best in the future. Now, the only thing left is to read for Yuna's sake..._

* * *

From above, Shuyin stared down at the girls – especially Yuna. But to him, he only saw his love. Even a thousand years could not wipe from his memory Lenne. She was engraved into his mind; she was an image he would never let go of. His eyes were frigid, fixated in one narrow path. Yet deep within his gaze was a sense of overwhelming fear. He was afraid of what lay deep within Yuna. She could see this, and she realized why he was afraid. His regret, perhaps, of what he had done for the last ten centuries had collected itself within him. He was ashamed to face her, knowing she would never have approved of what he had done.

A glow began to sparkle around Yuna. She, as well as Rikku and Paine, found herself fitted in her songstress dress. A halo of blue engulfed the pyreflies dancing around her. The sound of a crystalline sparkle rang in their ears. This was the power of the Farplane, the fantasy land of the dead, at its peak. Yuna felt dizzy, her sight and mind became hazed. Shaking her head, she reopened her eyes only to see Shuyin staring right in front of her. She could almost reach out and touch him. Taken aghast, she step backwards, gasping at his sudden appearance before her.

He followed by stepping forward, closing the small distance between them. Paine stammered to attack him, but was stopped by her own force. She braced herself to guard Yuna if necessary, but Shuyin made no attempt to attack her. Instead, his eyes showed nothing but infatuation. He raised his hand to touch Yuna's cheek. Even though he held a menacing expression just moments before, he now was docile. He smiled at her.

"Shuyin..." spoke Yuna, as well as a voice from inside.

"Lenne? Is that truly you my love?"

Yuna bowed her head, her cheeks flush, "T-there's something...something I must tell you."

She squeezed her hands together firmly. The tears formed in her eyes. Not hers, but Lenne's. Just as she had before, she felt Lenne's soul enrapture her own. They became one in all forms of consciousness. Finally, after all this time, she had access to all of Lenne's self – her feelings, her emotions, her heart.

Just as that which was buried in Shuyin's eyes, she felt the same feelings of guilt, remorse, and disappointment. Her heart was broken in dismay by Shuyin's horrid actions. And she knew, from the start, that all of this had occurred. How many hundreds of years did she live with this, Yuna couldn't tell. She understood one thing, Lenne still forgave him. As wretched a creature as he became, she still forgave his sins. These were the words Shuyin wanted to hear, but knew he didn't deserve. It was the split between their two hearts, bleeding a thousand years of pain.

"I...I am grateful for you, Shuyin." Yuna finally continued, the long pause rattling her nerves to the brink, "You came for me...even at the end. You stayed with me, and you loved me..."

"What does it matter!" he screamed suddenly, backing violently away from her, "I couldn't save you! Dammit Lenne, that's all I wanted to do...and I couldn't do it..."

She spoke again, even as the tears poured from both their eyes, "I...I know. But to do this...it wasn't right."

"I-I know...but what else could I do? As I wandered, I had nothing else to me...but you."

"Please, stop grieving now. You're not alone. We can...rest – together."

His eyes glowed, large and ready to fade from existence. He lifted up in the air, and left Baralai's body. Paine ran over to take him away. Walking over to Yuna, he extended his hand, ready to embrace his lover. But it was not Lenne that he saw. Coming to his senses, he choked as he saw Yuna, and not Lenne, standing in front of him.

"No...you are not Lenne!"

Yuna stretched out with her hand, "Wait! Shuyin!"

He roared, "Get away from me! You...you aren't Lenne! Damn you for trying to trick me! How could have I..."

His teeth clenched together. His face wrinkled with anger and rage. Lashing out, he bellowed at Yuna. During his fit, he had climbed up on the face of Vegnagun. He drew out a blitzball, one laden with spikes.

"I will let no one ever get in my way! I will destroy Spira!"

With a fierce kick, he launched the ball at Yuna. She spun to avoid its bounce off the ground, leaving a group of puncture marks in the dirt. Paine drew her sword. Rikku threw a blue grenade his way, exploding above him. The burst of water caused him to slip off and fall to the ground. When he got up, his eyes burned with a maddening fury.

Leaving his ball behind, he darted towards the girls. Paine, attempting to get in his path, was slide kicked. His velocity matched his tyranny. From the slide he stood up immediately, even before Paine had hit the ground. Rikku was next in his way, but dismissed with ease. He took her by the arm, and hung her in the air before she realized what was happening. With a fist, he punched her twice in the mouth. He had no more consideration for anything.

Dropping her senselessly to the ground, he shot his eyes to Yuna. She was standing there, her gun pointed at him. An equal fire of emotion swelled within her. This was her last stand, and she wasn't about to back down.

"You imposture! Why would you try to trick me?" he yelled in accusation.

She sighed, closing her eyes, "Don't you understand? Can't you feel the pain in your own soul? Has the centuries left you numb..."

"Numb? How could I ever be numb?" he raged, swinging his fist in the air wildly, "I've felt suffering and loss longer than anyone alive!"

"But is that all you feel? I saw it in your eyes..."

"Saw? Saw what?"

"The guilt. It burns behind your anger."

"What do you know? How could you possibly comprehend what it is to feel pain? What it's like to wallow in the anguish of knowing your love is dead and gone from you forever?"

"More than you know." she stated firmly, a position which surprised Shuyin, "You see...I, too, have lost my love...two years ago. While two years may seem like nothing to your millennium...to me...it has felt like an eternity. And...I as well will never have him back..."

"Then you should know why I've done what..."

"No I can't!" she shouted above him, "Don't you realize...all the pain you've caused for others?"

"What do I care? They deserve it, they deserve to feel what I have felt."

"You're wrong..."

"Then we will see."

Without another word, Shuyin climbed back to the top of Vegnagun. Standing at the organ, he began playing a contorted melody – one of suffering and condemnation. It pierced the air, and shivered Yuna. By now, Paine had gotten back up, herself recovered from the tackle. Rikku was still on the ground, woozy and bleeding from the nose. Paine hobbled over to help her. They watched and listened to the requiem he was playing.

From within the pits of Vegnagun transformed its weapon, that which would destroy all. It formed an enormous cannon, one so large that it seemed to stretch to the edge of the Farplane. It even dwarfed Vegnagun itself. Shuyin cackled insanely.

"Spira deserves no less than to drown in its own destruction. It sought this monster, and now it will reap what it has sown."

A bright charge of light gathered and swirled around the cannon. The girls had no idea what potential of devastation it could do, and they didn't want to find out. In a daring move, Yuna started to climb up on the barrel, her eyes locked onto Shuyin. He was still playing the keys of his organ, his fingers darting chaotically. The chords of sorrow only furthered the charge.

"I will show Spira the power of the demise they created!"

Yuna clung desperately to the cannon, its vibrations causing her body to shutter. She felt her nerves go numb. Crawling with all her strength, she focused to reach Shuyin. Seeping from her veins was the desire to save him from his own insanity. The love and loss he felt had exploded into a fit of raw chaos. The charge now sparked out of the end of the cannon; it was about to fire. Shuyin let out one last, horrifying laugh. Yuna had almost reached him, but she knew she would be too late.

In a last attempt to save their souls, she pulled out her pistol, whispering to herself, "If only...if only you were here..."

She locked her green eye onto the organ he was playing. She inhaled for one last breath before she fired. As she was pulling her finger back, ready to fire a shot, she heard a fearsome roar come from above. In shock, she looked up to see her savior flying in from the heavens. It was her aeon, Bahamut. He let out another mighty roar as he swooped down towards Yuna. Shuyin's eyes shrank from fear.

"Y-you're here? You're here!" bellowed Yuna, as she smiled at her old guardian.

Connecting with his eyes, she knew to leave the cannon. Yelling for Rikku to catch her, she leaped off the barrel, and into her cousin's arms. Not a second to soon, as Bahamut came crashing down on the cannon. The whole Farplane seemed to shake from his plummet. Sparks flew everywhere as Shuyin evacuated his organ. Falling out of the air, he tumbled on the ground, rolling down to the arena near the girls.

They watched as the aeon thrust his claws into the cannon about to burst. Flapping his wings with all his might, he lifted it up into the air. It fired with such force that it exploded apart. But Bahamut had accomplished what he needed to do, and the blast spiraled harmlessly into the Farplane sky. Yet he was badly singed from the sparks, and crashed to the ground. Yuna ran over to him.

"Bahamut!" she called, her face drenched in worry.

Kneeling down to her aeon, she put her arms around his head. But in his eyes she saw a familiar, burning strength. A cloud of pyreflies blurred form its body, and engulfed where Yuna was kneeling. Inside herself, she heard his voice telling her not to worry – he would be alright. She was to do one last thing. She smiled, and wiped the slight tear forming in her eye. Knowing exactly what he meant, she watched as he finished disappearing into a flock of pyreflies, and faded into the sky. Turning back around, she noticed Shuyin had recovered somewhat, and was now standing before her some distance away. He scoffed harshly at the girls, wiping some blood trickling down his face.

Bouncing up the spiked blitzball with his foot, he kicked it at Yuna. She didn't flinch as it zoomed by her face, one of the spikes nicking her cheek. Even when the blood seeped out, she didn't move. It was if she turned to stone, only fixated on Shuyin. This frustrated him even more. Screaming, he sprinted towards her. He ran right at her, but she stood still. When he was about to strike, she felt his soul stopped in his tracks.

Lenne, from within Yuna's body, had come out. She was grasping him by the wrists, glaring him in the eye just as Yuna had been. Pushing him back, he began to submit to her. He dwindled into a feeble, sobbing man, and eventually fell to his knees. He started to cry, and she buried him in her arms.

"L-Lenne..."

She smiled, "Hi there."

Looking up at her, he saw not the angered look of a woman who would scorn him as he believed he would, but the smiling face of his lover of centuries ago. His eyes focused on hers, and she on his. For the first time in over a millennium, they shared a loving embrace. The ancients they were, their love was still as tender as it was one thousands years ago.

"I'm sorry...Lenne." he whimpered, "I lost my mind when I found out you'd left for Zanarkand. And it seems I lost my way trying to get you back. C-Can...you ever forgive me?"

"I can. Shuyin, I've never lost my love for you. Thankfully, there are still a few kind people in this world."

She looked up at Yuna and smiled. She nodded, accepting her thanks. The two were eternally bonded, and both shared the same gratitude for one another. Both of them had opened up a new world to the other. A world, ridden with distraught and pain, but also with undying hope, and the quest for a peace. Lenne had found that peace.

Shuyin, too, was peaceful in her arms, but suddenly realized that they were fading, "N-No...all this time, and this moment is all we get? I..."

"This is enough." she spoke, placing her fingertips on his mouth, "This moment is all we need. It's time for all this to end. Let's us rest together..."

"Can we? After all I've done, can we?"

Although pained by his words at first, she smiled to reconcile the pain, "Yes, we can. That was a thousand years ago. We've a second chance to start anew. Let's go – go to the distant corners of Spira and live together."

He smiled, her words were enough. Holding his hand, the two walked. As they passed Yuna, Lenne let go. Stepping in front of Yuna, she smiled, and hugged her. While she was just a spirit now, Yuna could feel her warm arms embrace her. For one final time, they gazed into each other's eyes, and shared one final emotion. Lenne retook Shuyin's hand, and waved goodbye. She and her lover faded into the mists of the Farplane.

Rikku and Paine stared on ominously, themselves left out from whatever just occurred. They did know one thing, Yuna had saved them. The lovers fated to be apart forever were reunited. On top of that, she had saved Spira again from being destroyed. With the enemies laid to rest, Yuna laughed to herself, then turned around to her friends.

"What do you say we go back home?"

And home they gladly went. They attempted to contact Buddy and Brother, but only received static in reply. With no other course of action, they began climbing their way out of the Farplane. There were no more fiends to cross their path, and they emerged shortly thereafter. Paine poked her head out first. Something immediately seemed out of place to her. Once she pulled Rikku and Yuna out of the hole, Yuna began looking around. She, too, had the same puzzled expression of her face.

"What's wrong guys?" asked Rikku, clueless as to what they were pondering.

Yuna laughed, "Well, it's strange. We went down in Besaid, but seemed to have come up in Djose."

Rikku, thrown off balance by her cousin's deduction, started examining the room. It was indeed the temple at Djose. Faintly she could here the sounds of drills and engines blaring below them. Taking the elevator down, they stood in front of a group of shocked engineers.

"F-Frana't oui lusa vnus? (W-Where'd you come from?)" shouted one of them.

Rikku just laughed, and rubbed the back of her head. Once they explained what had happened, and where they had been, the Al Bhed workers were hospitable. Rikku, immediately after gaining their trust, asked where Gippal was. One of his men told them that he, along with Baralai and Nooj, was making an announcement at Luca to all the peoples of Spira. Not wanting to miss out, the girls rushed off to see what those men were planning.

They arrived early next morning in the wondrous, bustling city. But most of the streets were empty. After a little wandering, they made their way to the stadium. Paine asked one of the guards what was going on.

"The leaders of Spira are making a public speech. They have a message for all of Spira." he explained.

"No kiddin'? And they didn't invite us." tisked Paine.

Rikku joined the complaining, "Sometimes...Gippal just has no manners!"

"When will it start?" asked Yuna, instantly raising the guard's eyebrow.

"Oh, uh, well Lady Yuna...it will start in about an hour."

"I see. Perhaps we could see them beforehand?"

"Of course," he nodded, "right this way."

Leading them downstairs, Yuna remembered that this area was where the Aurochs had their locker room. She wasn't sure why, but a few images of the past came into her mind. Two years ago, she remembered Wakka's big speech, and the team listening to his every word. She laughed to herself, remembering how boisterous Wakka was during a game. However, she was quickly snapped out of her fond memory by another's voice.

"Please hurry to Besaid!" shouted a voice which Yuna was pleased to hear.

"Bahamut! You're ok!"

"Yes, thanks to you, we are all well. But I must tell you to go to Besaid. He will be awaiting you."

"Awaiting me? Who?"

"That which was built from a collective of memories a thousand years ago. Or, in simpler terms, your love."

"What?" she shouted, this time out loud, gaining everyone's attention.

"For you, Lady Yuna, we've brought back Tidus."

She cupped her mouth, but her gasp was still audible. A tear ran down her cheek, as she was overwhelmed with a flurry of emotions. If it was true, then Tidus was back in the world – alive once again. She turned around so hard that she nearly slipped, and darted back down the hallway. The girls were dumbfounded.

"Yunie! Yunie, where are you going?"

"Its Tidus! H-He's coming home!"

Rikku, her face expressing total shock, just stared at Paine. She, confused by Yuna's sporadic action, just scratched her head. Blowing out a quick sigh, she turned back to the guard.

"Guess we gotta go. Just tell them that we had to leave."

The crowd in Luca Stadium was enormous. There was hardly an empty seat, with many people standing in the aisle ways. They were all awaiting one thing – the arrival of their leaders. Even though their were thousands of people there, it was almost silent. Only a low murmur could be heard. That was, until the three men in charge of Spira's future entered the center balcony. The crowd erupted in cheer, but was quickly hushed by the men. They stood firm, but with less than joyous expressions on their faces.

Nooj stepped up to the microphone, a slight whine coming from it, "Once my friends and I dreamed of flying. We would sail a ship with me as its captain. In time, I became that captain. I found a new ship with new friends. My ship was the Youth League."

An immediate cheer rang out from amongst the crowd. Although he had been absent for a while, his followers were still ready to back him. The noise quickly subsided as Baralai approached the microphone.

"Others chose a different captain. Their boat was New Yevon."

Again, Baralai's followers showed their loyalty through vivid applause. They, too, did not waiver during his long hiatus. Finally, the crowd hushed as Gippal walked to the microphone. His body language was confident as he gestured with his arms in the air as he spoke.

"You know, I realize I'm like a lot of you people. We want a captain. And we want a ship to ride, but more important than that...really...we all want to ride together."

A gigantic ovation rumbled from all peoples in the crowd. While he was a brash person, Gippal highlighted everything the people felt with just a few sentences. Baralai stepped up to speak again.

"There are some things you can't do alone. But they become easy with friends beside you." he said, as he pulled Nooj towards him.

"This was the lesson that we learned when we launched those ships." Nooj added.

"It was power...and we misused that power. We turned our friends and followers against each other." The stadium was silent as the men, grouped tightly together, stood speechless before them. The audience waited for them to say something, holding them in a knotting suspense. All of them bowed their heads, with Nooj asking, "Forgive us." The crowd was shocked, not knowing how to react to their leaders openly apologizing to them. Sounds of dissatisfaction echoed throughout the stadium as a barrage of chatter clattered amongst them. The three men all looked around at the faces of those listening to them.

"Somehow we forgot." spoke Baralai, breaking apart the anxious silence, "There's a much larger ship out there. One we've been riding ever since we were born. That ship is Spira"

His short, simple words fed confidence back into the crowd. They cheered once again, relieved that their leaders had not abandoned them, but they weren't finished yet, as Nooj leaned up towards the microphone.

"No one knows just where our voyage will lead us. But we do know one thing," he interrupted himself, exhaling slightly while backing away from the microphone, looking at both his friends, "one way or another, we will get by. We'll go on living. The Calm will continue."

A grand cheer rang out from the peoples of Spira. Out of their seats they applauded. Gippal, with one last thing on his mind, approached the microphone once more.

"Just one more thing - we all owe thanks to a very special lady." These words were enough to indicate to whom he was referring to, as the crowd reacted with another deafening ovation. "Yeah, you all know who I'm talkin' about. We really hoped that she could be here today."

However, she was readying to leave for Besaid. Once the Fayth informed her that a special somebody was coming home, she rushed for the Celsius. Luckily they had radioed ahead of time or she would have had to wait. Parked down by the docks, she sprinted for the ship. She also saw three men standing there, causing her to halt in her tracks.

"H-how'd you guys get here so quickly?" she asked Baralai, Nooj, and Gippal.

They all laughed to each other, with Gippal adding, "Hey, we knew a shortcut."

Baralai nodded, "We had to thank you before you left. We don't know what you're hurrying for, but we won't hold you long."

"No, no...it's alright. I guess I'm just a little flustered..."

Nooj chuckled, "Quite alright, you've earned to lose your head every once in a while. Please, to where ever you go, good luck and safe passage."

They all nodded in unison, with Gippal giving her a big grin. She, too, smiled, and thanked them for all they did for her. Finally arriving was Rikku and Paine. Gippal, seeing Rikku run up, gave her a flick in the ear.

"Hey, what'cha ya do that for?"

"Heh, you be careful now squirt. I'll come visit you when I get some free time."

The two gazed into each other's eyes. Then Rikku stuck her tongue out at him and scampered away. Before she entered the ship, she turned back around. Flashing a bright smile to Gippal, she blew him a kiss goodbye. Shortly after Gippal finished off their speech, the Celsius' engines began to rumble as they took off.

"See you next time kiddies! Yeehaw!" Brother shouted to the stadium as they flew away from Luca.

The girls were on top of the deck, looking at the wonderful blue sky in front of them. To say Yuna was anxious was an understatement.

"Brother, Faster!" she yelled down to the bridge as loudly as she could. "Rrrrroger!" bellowed Brother as the ship zoomed over the ocean.

Her nerves tingles with anticipation. She had longed to have Tidus back for what seemed like an eternity. There wasn't a day that passed when he didn't evade her thoughts. But those days would quickly cease. Closing her eyes, she pictured he pearly smile, knowing that it would become more than just her memories very soon. She would be reunited. Beneath the waves of the ocean, a few pyreflies began to swirl, entwining with each other. From the dark depths of the sea they formed the son of Jecht, and the guardian who protected Yuna to the end.

From the fetal position, he uncurled and swam up to the surface. Brushing the water off his face, he looked around him. For the first time in a long time, he felt the soothing warm sun radiate upon his face. Turning around, he spotted the first place on Spira which was like home to him. Letting out a whistle, he heard no reply, but didn't care. He continued to bask in the golden sunshine. Then, he began swimming to the beach. He took a few step on the sandy ground. It was as firm as he was.

From above, he heard the sound of engines. Splashing up a tidal wave of water around him, he covered up his face as the airship hovered down next to him. From its open boarding ramp, a familiar woman came leaping down. Nearly into his arms Yuna jumped. It seemed even before she hit the ground did she sprint towards Tidus. For the first time, in her eyes, was him, the real him. The Fayth had truly done it; they had brought him back.

She, with arms wide open, clutched onto him. He embraced her, and the two stood together. Although she was worried at first, she could feel that he was as solid as she was.

She looked up at him, caressing his cheek with her hand, "Are...are you really back?"

He paused for a moment, then smiled, "I am back. Yuna, I am home."

"Home..." her eyes swelled with tears as she buried her teary face into his chest. "Yes, you are home. Oh Tidus I love you! I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you so much as well. And I love you, too."

Holding her tightly as she cried, not from sadness, but from joy, the both of them wanted nothing else. It had been two years, but their separation was no more. Rikku and Paine peered out from the Celsius at them. Rikku giggled, happy to see her cousin finally getting what she deserved. Paine had to laugh as well.

"Is he really that good?" she asked Rikku.

Rikku shrugged, "Heh, I dunno really. But to her, he's all she needs. So I guess then, he is perfect."

They were not alone, however. A crowd of islanders were now spectating on the two lovebirds. Standing amongst them, was the Fayth. They had went to the island to tell them as well as Yuna. Bahamut, his gift to Yuna finally complete, nodded to himself. With Spira freed from its spiral of death, he could go away free.

"Hey, why don't you two get a room!" shouted Wakka with an enormous grin on his face.

Tidus, looking up at him, waved his hand at him, "Who asked you to come, Wakka?"

With Wakka chuckling to himself, Lulu shook her head. Tidus began leading Yuna back to the crowd, but ended up finding himself being led. Yuna grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

"W-whoa! You've sure changed a bit." he commented, smiling at his love.

"Heh, well...you've missed a few things."

"Then you have to tell me everything."

As they came together with the crowd, the day was spent, as well as many to come, reuniting the fated lovers. Those two years she was without him faded instantly. She no longer had to imagine life without him – he was alive again. There was much to tell, but there was the time to tell it in. It wasn't long before the two were married. Set in Bevelle, the people of New Yevon had the entire city decorated for the occasion. While Tidus thought they should have it in Besaid, Lulu knew better.

With all the people who wanted to attend, the tiny island wouldn't have been enough to sustain a wedding of that stature. And many people did attend. The Aurochs, Elma, and Lucil, Maechen, O'aka, Clasko, Rin, Nhadala, Rhala, and Gadrock, the list went on and on. Also in attendance were Dona and Barthello. Yuna was happy to hear that they had reconciled their differences. They were also planning to get married, once things settled down again. Many of the Ronso, including Garik, were there. He formally apologized to Yuna. She was just glad to know he was still alive.

All of the Leblanc Syndicate showed up as well, getting their own section in the crowd. The entertainment was provided by none other than Tolbi and crew. He insisted on creating the festivities and atmosphere for the guests. Barkeep readied the open bar for the reception. Cid was also there, of course along with Buddy, Brother, and Shinra. Brother had planned one hell of a bachelor party for Tidus, but Rikku and Paine kept their watchful eyes over him. And the most auspicious guests were the three leaders of Spira – Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal. They would not miss this event for the world, all of which was being covered by Shelinda.

Even Beclem came to see, as he admired Yuna deeply, even if he would never admit to it. The best man, of course, was Wakka. He felt strange all dressed up. Lulu fixed the collar of his shirt. This was a moment he'd been waiting for secretly for years, ever since he helped Yuna grow up all those years ago. The ceremony was a grand spectacle. Yuna was a little nervous, as she jokingly said that the last time she was getting married in Bevelle, things didn't go so well. But this time, she was with her love.

They walked, they kissed, and they were happily tied together. In the depths of her soul, she could feel the same of Lenne and Shuyin, as she did herself. They were also together somewhere – somewhere they could be together always. Much of Spira shared in her union. The conflict between New Yevon and the Youth League was settled. Baralai and Nooj made sure that each and every one of their members knew exactly what Yuna had done for them. Working together, they built Spira anew, and prospered. The Ronso made peace with the Guado. Seeing how the rest of Spira had laid down their differences, they felt compelled to do the same.

To honor Yuna's amazing accomplishments, they erected a statue among with wispy clouds of the mountain peaks. Standing tall, the statue easily portrayed her strength and courage. Nonetheless, when compared to the real thing, it seemed to overshadow the little summoner. One time, when Yuna visited Mount Gagazet, she had said that she was a little dwarf compared to her stony counterpart. With the Guado no longer in fear of slaughter and war, they slowly came out of the forest.

Both Yuna and the Ronso helped them rebuild their lives in Guadosalam. No longer did they have to drown in their pity amidst the dying trees. They eventually joined themselves with the rest of Spiran society, with Tromell as their leader. Other parts of Spira remained the same, such as Luca. It was still a busy, exciting city of trade and entertainment. Yuna became a symbol of the Aurochs as much as their logo did. However, they lost in the semifinals for the following two years, but did win the championships the year after that. Rin, once he settled his chocobos in Mi'hen, asked Nhadala to marry him. Accepting his proposal, as well as his fancy ring, the two were married.

She eventually handed her digging operation over to Gippal, and went to live in Mi'hen. They had two children, two boys to take over the family business. Rin's Travel Agency remained ever popular, but his Sphere Break flopped awfully. Leblanc continued her syndicate of sphere hunting. Her dreams to live happily forever with Nooj, however, did not come true.

They married a little more than a year after Yuna did, and even had a little boy to raise. But ten years afterwards, Nooj died in an accident to save one of his members. Afterwards, her syndicate broke up, but Logos and Ormi always stayed faithfully together with their boss. On Besaid, Yuna and Tidus, as well as all the islanders, lived pleasantly. Yuna, though, traveled often.

She, with Rikku and Paine, toured around Spira singing and playing music for them. They called themselves "YPR." She stopped when she had her cherished little daughter – Lenne. For the person, besides Tidus, that she held dearest in her heart, she named her child after.

Paine, on the other hand, went to Bevelle to live afterwards. After a few years, she and Baralai married. They never had any children, but did come back to live in Besaid once he retired from being Praetor.

To the children of the island, she told many stories of the past, including her adventures with the Gullwings. Yuna always laughed, saying she was becoming a lot like Maechen. Rikku went off adventuring on her own for a while after Yuna had her child. Since she was younger, she still had a free spirit within her that needed released. She also went around helping those who were less off. In a way, she became as big a charity to Spira as Yuna did, and many people looked up to her as well. She, of course, was joined by Buddy, Brother, and Shinra in her endeavors, as her father wouldn't have her parading around Spira alone.

It was many years after she and Gippal met, far longer than Yuna or Paine thought it would take, but they eventually married. They had two bratsto raise, a little boy and girl. Yuna was amazed at how Rikku matured, a word not typically associated with her, once she had children. She turned into a regular housewife, something she did not find very complementary. Lulu and Wakka continued to raise their son.

Vidina had the godmother Lulu always wanted him to have. He eventually grew up to be a great man, and eventually became leader of the Youth League. He was humble like his old man, whom he almost lost tragically. On return from Luca, his ship wrecked and he almost drowned at sea if it wasn't for Tidus. After that day, Wakka would never go to sea without him again. Staring at the mystical sight before them, Yuna held tightly onto Tidus' arm. Even though her face had wrinkled slightly from age, Tidus saw nothing but the most beautiful sight he'd ever laid eyes on. The pyreflies flied freely in the ruins of Zanarkand. It was enchanting, yet haunting for anyone who held a tie to this place. It was where the world of the living and the world of the dead collided. Be it the present, or a thousand years ago, the memories were everlasting.

"Mother," asked Lenne as she climbed up on to one of the rocks. "Why do you look so sad when you're here?"

She smiled, "It's not that I'm sad, Lenne. I just have a lot of memories from this place."

"Memories? You mean when you fought Sin here?"

Her mother nodded, looking coyly at her husband. He smiled back at her, and they embraced. Both of them shared those same memories. She could still remember the sacrifices that occurred here. However, as she traveled through time in her mind, she at least knew she rectified those sacrifices as best she could.

"Honey, I want you to know that you should always stay true to your heart." she told her daughter, while kneeling on the ground. Lenne walked over to her mother, and sat in her lap,

"What do you mean?"

"She means," explained Tidus, "that you control your own destiny. There will be a lot of hard times in your life. You just have to have the strength to see through them." "So you mean when I have to fight a big terrible monster, I just have to be strong?"

Yuna closed her eyes, smiling brightly, "Yes. All you have to be is brave."

Holding her daughter tightly, she thought back to the Lenne from the past. She didn't know what might lie ahead, she only hoped it would never come to a tragedy like that. Be it two years or a thousand years, she never wanted her daughter to face the adversity that she and Lenne had. Looking up to the sky, though, she knew that they were together somewhere peacefully. As the pyreflies faded into the night sky, the little family left for home. The spirits of Zanarkand rested gently in their slumber. Such was the world that Spira became. For centuries it had been plagued by hardship and despair. No longer was it the spiral of death, as it so was fated to be. Yuna had accomplished what no summoner could ever have. She had stared into the face of adversity, and won. And for it, she could live happily with those she loved. Each time she looked up into the night's sky, she remember all that had happened in her life. In the end, even from all that had occurred, she could still smile.

**The End**


End file.
